July Jones
by BloodyTearsOfLife
Summary: July Jones has just learned she's been lied to for the last 10 years. Now she is in LA trying to find the real her but it won't be easy and what happens when she moves next door to the team. !COMPLETE, EDITTED WITH NEW CONTENT!
1. AN and prologue

**July 3 – I've began to repost this story with the re-editted version. Check my profile for what chapters are new and improved.**

**Author:** BloodyTearsOfLife  
**Title:** July Jones  
**Rating:** PG-13/R  
**Disclaimer:** All characters from The Fast and the Furious belong to Universal Studios, yada, yada, yada. I only own the ones you don't know. And no profit is made of this, this is just for mine and hopefully your entertainment.  
**Summary:** July Jones has just learned she's been lied to for the last 10 years. Now she is in LA trying to find the real her but it won't be easy and what happens when she moves next door to the team.  
**A/N:**Okay, so this is my first fanfiction. I was originally writing it just as a fiction but as I kept writing it I decided I wanted to write a fanfiction and so I decided to change it into one. Hope it works out ok. So this story is about a girl named July Jones. She has just found out she is adopted and been lied to for the last 10 years. So now she has left home to find the real her but it won't be easy. She finds herself in LA. and runs into one of the team. This will probably take place after the trucks, but Brian is still around and with Mia.

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**Prologue  
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The wind blew her jet-black hair away from her face and she felt as if she were seeing the world for the first time. The sun was setting in the horizon. The sky was slowly fading to dark and with it stole the pinks and oranges of the sky. Her pale sky blue eyes searched the horizon; searched for something that she did not know. All she knew was that there was an emptiness inside of her now, waiting to be filled. It hollowed out in the pit of her soul. How pointless her life has seemed. All that she had known had been ripped from her in the past hour. That's why she was out here in the first place.

Just turning eighteen today and her whole world had fallen from beneath her, leaving her helpless and stranded. Every single memory was now shattering and fading into nothing. How to go on like this? A person didn't know their own strength until it was truly tested. How could someone deceive another for so long without any guilt at all? How could anyone do that to someone they claimed to love? All she knew was that she had to get out of there fast and as soon as she could. So she had packed her duffel bag, got into the car, and left.

Now her she was, standing at the top of a ridge not sure where to go. She turned to the east but it seemed like the wrong direction. She then turned to the west; it felt right, like something was pulling her in that way. She ran back to her car and started it up. Taking a deep breath she started driving west, chasing the sun to that unknown place where maybe, just maybe she could find that something or someone to fill the empty place inside.

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	2. On the Road

**Chapter 1: On the Road**

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Music blasted from the stereo, the windows were rolled down and the cool night wind was refreshing. She loved driving at night; there weren't as many people on the road. She loved the feeling of just her, the car, the road, and a full tank of gas. There was a peace that driving brought and that feeling intensified at night. It made her feel more alive, which was contradictive in itself but that's how it made her feel.

Looking down at the dash, July saw that she was getting low on gas and would have to pull over soon. She quickly passed a sign that stated gas and lodging three miles ahead. At the speed she was going, she soon ate up those three miles and took the exit. She pulled into a lonely and quiet gas station and began the routine of filing the gas tank.

Her eyes were getting gritty with sleep, her eyelids becoming a little heavier as each minute passed. July saw a decent hotel down the road that had their vacancy sign on. Finishing quickly, she got back into the car and started driving down the road, parking in near the front of the hotel. Tucking her wallet into her back pocket, she grabbed her bag and jacket, and got out.

At the front desk a short and plump woman was enthralled in a late night show on the small television set. She looked friendly, kind of like that aunt that was always giving you a hug and pinching your cheek. July cleared her throat, signaling her presence. The woman jumped and turned her head, her brown eyes wide with fright.

"My goodness, you scared me," she said with a sigh of relief.

"Sorry I didn't mean to," July said apologetically.

"It's all right dear. Now what can I do for you?" she asked, sitting up and getting down to business.

"I wanted to get a room for the night." July came closer to the desk and set her bag down on the ground, draping her jacket over the top.

"Are you by your self or are there other people with you?" she asked typing on the computer.

"Nope just me."

"So a single for just tonight, right?" the woman asked continuing to type on the computer without looking up.

"Yeah, how much will that be?" July took out her wallet and opened it up.

"Just $50 for the night." She handed the lady the money and took the key she offered in return, the large plastic rectangle attached that had a bold fourteen on it. "Your room is on the ground floor on the left side of the building. Check out is at noon."

"Thank you." July grabbed her bag and headed back outside and to the left. The room was near the very end of the building and she contemplated moving her car but decided against it. It was probably safer near the front anyways.

She opened the green door with a gold fourteen on it and blindly reached her hand out to the side. She flicked on the light to reveal a small single room. The bed had a dark brown comforter and next to it was a nightstand holding a lamp and a clock, which stated it was three in the morning. The walls were a creamy white and the carpet was a deep forest green, the color hiding whatever stains might have been on it. It was surprisingly nice for the price she had paid.

July closed the door and threw her stuff on the table were a small black television sat. There were two other doors, one turned out to be a small closet and the other was a medium sized bathroom. She opened the front window to let some air into the room but made sure to keep the curtain closed against the impending sun.

After brushing her teeth and turning on the lamp near the bed, she sluggishly changed into some pajamas, and then turned off the main light and dead bolted the door. Peeling back the sheets to the bed, she climbed in. The bed was soft and cozy, the linen cool against her heated skin. She turned off the lamp and flooded the room with darkness; the only light was the glaring of the red digits on the clock that now read a quarter after three. Turning so she was laying on her side, she cocooned the blankets around herself and drifted off to sleep.

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tbc…


	3. The Dream

**Chapter 2: The Dream**

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"July, your father and I have something to talk to you about," Mary Jones said, her blue eyes full of fear as she nervously ran her hand though her brown hair. Next to her was her husband, Sam, a middle aged man with matching features. Worry was evident on his face as he sat with a calloused hand on his wife's back.

"July, we need to sit and talk," her dad echoed.

"Okay," July replied, sitting down across from them. She was trying to figure out what was going on. They never done this before, not even when she was in trouble.

"July, we have something very important to tell you, but we aren't really sure how to tell you," her mom said through a sigh, looking her straight in the eyes.

Now July knew something big was up. The ideas were flying through her head: someone was sick? Someone was in the hospital? Someone was dead?

"Well, why don't you just say the truth," July suggested bluntly wanting to know what had them so worried. She was never much for the small talk when it was something important.

"July, what we are about to tell you is going to change your entire life," Sam said sadly.

By now, panic was beginning to run haywire though her body. She really wished they'd just get on with it. The more they stalled the worse the scenarios in her head got. "Well, it is my eighteenth birthday, my life is going to be changing a lot right now so this one detail can't be too bad."

Her parents shared a look before turning to look back at her. "July… what your mother and I are trying to tell you is that you're…adopted. We aren't your biological parents." Tears were in his eyes, and July could see the trails already traveling down her mother's face. She felt her eyes go wide and her mouth open. The air seemed to disappear from her lungs and it felt like she was drowning.

"Wh-wh-what? When? How?"

Mary's cries rendered her unable to explain and Sam was forced to explain.

"When you were around eight, your parents were visiting here. They took you to that park down on Newton St., you know, that one with the pond you use to really like? Someone tried to kill you for some unknown reason. In the process of protecting you, both of your parents were killed. That scar on your arm is the only place that the man managed to get to before your parents got to you. You never got it helping me on a car. We figured you were going to ask so we just made up a story," he confessed, his hands clenched tight together.

July ran her hand on the three-inch scar on her left forearm; it seemed to burn now that she knew how she had really got it.

Sam cleared his throat and continued on. "You were taken into custody and placed into an orphanage. We had been trying to have kids for a while but couldn't so we put in for an adoption. No one came to claim you even though they ran ads. So you were given to us as a temporary home, and after a year we put in the final papers and we adopted you."

July could feel my head spinning, trying to absorb all this new information. "No one came for me?" she croaked out.

"No, they were never able to contact anyone and no one came. Your parents had a document that said if anything ever happened to them, you were to be given everything on your eighteenth birthday. Which is today, August ninth." July's father got up and disappeared. He returned in seconds with a large manila envelope, which he placed on the middle of the table and sat back down. "Inside this envelope is a copy of their will, a letter to you, a album book and a set of keys." She sat there in disbelief. This couldn't be happening.

"This can't be true. Ha ha, stupid joke, you can stop now," she tried to joke, but her stomach turned and she felt like she was going to be sick.

"This isn't a joke July," her mom spoke up, speaking for the first time. Her face looked like it had aged ten years within the last five minutes.

"How can you expect me to believe this? You are my parents. Everything, every memory has you in it."

"July, watching your parents being killed was very traumatic. The psychiatrist said that it was so traumatic that it gave you something almost like amnesia. You were in such denial that you would accept whatever was given to you. She said that as we were put into your life as your new parents, you would place us in all of your old memories. Every memory from when you were little isn't really real. They are real in the fact that they happened but we weren't really there. Your real parents were. You just put the image of us it because you were in such shock," my dad explained.

July shook her head in denial, very much wanting to stomp her feet. "No…no… everything has you two in it. A person can't do that. I couldn't just make it all up." Her mind was in complete overload.

"July, the memories are real, it's the us in it that aren't." Sam signaled to himself and Mary.

"So you're saying that everything in my head is a lie and you aren't my real parents?"

"Essentially, yes," Mary said quietly.

"So you have lied to me for the past ten years?" July questioned, anger creeping into her voice.

Mary's face broke as she recoiled from the anger vibrating off her daughter. "July, it wasn't like we wanted to lie to you. We actually wanted to tell you sooner but we didn't think it would go so well when you were younger so we waited until we had to tell you. We still consider ourselves your parents, regardless if we gave birth to you or not."

July was furious. "So, you would have never told me? You only told me because you had to? You let me think this was all real when it was a lie?" she grit out.

"July, you have to understand, we were only doing what we though was best."

"The best for who, me or you?" Rage swamped her veins at the thought of what they did.

"July, you have to understand-."

She slammed her hand down on the table, making them both jump. "No I don't," she said cutting her off. "You aren't my real parents. What you need to understand is that you don't just lie to a person for ten years and expect everything to be perfect. You don't lie to a person for that long when you claim to love them. How could you just pretend everything was okay when all along you had this big secret, about me nonetheless? How could you let me believe something that wasn't even true? Didn't you feel any guilt at all? I don't know how you can live with yourself." She grabbed the envelope from the table and ran to her room. She couldn't be here any longer. This was all fake, all lies and deceit. Her skin itched with all of it.

July opened her closet, pulled out her big black duffel bag, and put the envelope in. Setting the bag on her bed, she turned towards her dresser and began to move the clothes from the drawer and into the bag. She vaguely registered that her parents hadn't followed her and that tears were falling silently down her face.

Once she had emptied every drawer, she grabbed all of the money from her secret hiding spot and put it into the front of her jeans. Tossing whatever else she wanted to take into the bag, she zipped it up. Standing at the door with the duffel bag in one hand and the other on the doorknob, she took one last look around the room, at the pictures on one wall of her and her parents, smiling, laughing; it made her anger burn hot. Doing the only thing she could do at the moment, she walked out.

She was half way out the front door when my parents began to chase after her. July started to walk faster to her car. No way were they stopping her.

"July where are you going?" her mom asked.

July was already opening up the driver's side door and tossing her bag in, where it landed on top of her jacket. She got into the car and started it up.

"July, honey, please stay? You can't go!" Mary pleaded.

She gave her former mother an icy glare and squealed out of the driveway. She watched as Mary broke down in her former father's arms and felt guilt swell up inside of her. She quickly shoved it away as she though of how they lied to her all these years and didn't feel any guilt at all. July watched as they, and the only home she'd ever known, got smaller and smaller in the mirror as she drove away.

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tbc…


	4. The Will

**Chapter 3: The Will**

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July woke up gasping for breath. Her lungs burned and her throat was dry. She wished she could say that it was just a dream but it wasn't. It was what had happened last night. Why she was where she was. She could feel anger welling up inside of her at the thought. Taking a deep breath, she sunk back into the pillows but couldn't find any more comfort. Her whole body was tense from the dream. She rolled over and looked at the clock; it was about ten. She got up and stretched, her muscles starting to relax. A peek out the curtain confirmed that the sun was already pretty high in the sky and there wasn't a cloud for miles. It was going to be hot and sunny.

July grabbed her bag and sat down on the bed, crossing her legs. In the middle of looking for her white tank top, her hand hit something that felt odd, almost like paper. Then she suddenly remembered the envelope that she had taken, the one with the things that would change her life. How funny it was that something so simple could create an effect so big. She'd forgotten all about it with the drama of everything else.

She pulled the envelope out and set it on her lap. With trembling hands, she slowly opened the envelope and reached in. Her hands hit something cold and metal and pulled out a set of keys. Next out was a couple of papers and a small album book. She set the envelope aside and put the keys on top of it. She looked at the first paper and saw it was a letter addressed to her and began to read.

_To our dearest daughter July, If you are reading this letter than sadly it is to say that your mother, Robin, and I are no longer with you. First we would like to say happy birthday, as you are to receive this package upon your eighteenth birthday. We are sorry that we aren't able to be there today and how ever long we have been gone. We want to tell you that we love you and we are watching over you. You may not know who we are depending on your situation, but nonetheless we watch over you and miss you more than you know. We are sorry we can't be there when you receive this. _

Enclosed you will find our living will, which entitles you to everything in our possession. We know you would have made us proud. When you were little you were the spitting image of your mother but you have my eyes and smile. We also put a book album that has some baby pictures; the rest of the set is at the house.

Another thing that your mother wanted to tell you was the significance of your name. We named you after the month that you were suppose to be born in (you were a late baby). She loved that you were going to be born in July because it reminded her of the fireworks and picnics. You may not know this but when you were little we called you firecracker. You had so much energy and were always bouncing off the walls so to speak and since your name was July, the only firework that reminded us of you was firecracker so we nicknamed you that. We just wanted you to know that. We send all of our love forever and for always.

Love,  
Your father, your mother,  
Ruben Jones Robin Jones

July absently brushed away the tears that had formed in her eyes and set the letter down with care. The old nickname stuck in her head as if she had heard it before. The next piece of paper was the will.

_I, Ruben Jones, and I, Robin Jones, give unto July Jones on her eighteenth birthday all in our possessions. Below is the address of our lawyer who can be contacted to receive all the paperwork and documents. _

Arnold Lewis  
452 SW Palms St.  
Los Angeles, CA

July set the paper down and picked up the album book. It looked fairly new. The black covering had a silver inscription that said "Jones". She opened the album to come face to face with a young woman who looked exactly like her. She was short with a small lean form. Her long jet-black hair hung freely and framed a pair of honey brown eyes that matched her skin. She wore a big smile and happiness seemed to be infused into every inch of her. She was leaning into a man that was slightly taller than her. He had dark brown hair and her sky blue eyes. He was wearing the same smile that she saw staring back at herself in all of her pictures. He had a muscular, fatherly build, as if he did physical labor or worked out at the least.

Cradled between the two was a pink bundle and a small curious face was peeking out. Her face. There could be no denying it. The baby looked like a smaller and younger replica of herself. These were her real parents. It hurt so much to not be able to remember anything about them. Not even a picture could spark a memory or a voice in her head. She flipped through the pages and saw pictures of her birth in the hospital, and her first days of life. As soon as she was at the end she wished she had the other albums.

Now she knew where she was going, why it felt right going west instead of east. This was the way she was supposed to go. Find her answers, fill that emptiness, but really, what would be waiting for her? A house, money no doubt, but still no one would be there to welcome her with open arms, no one to take care of her when she got sick. It was more of being welcomed by an empty house probably, but still at least she was getting something that would connect her to them and that thought alone made her feel better.

July finished getting her clothes and toiletries and took a quick shower. Returning to the room, she packed everything up again except the will. She folded it up and stuck it into her pocket. She checked out of the motel a little after eleven, the same woman from last night wishing her a good day.

Leaving the hotel, she drove back to the gas station where she picked up something to eat and a map. After eating, she took out the map and found a route to Los Angeles that would be simple to follow. Memorizing the route, she folded it half way, so she could sneak a look at it if she needed to. Settling back into the car, she revved the engine and shot off.

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tbc…


	5. Arriving in LA

**Chapter 4: Arriving in LA**

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July arrived in California late in the afternoon after two long, boring days. So here she was in LA, knowing where she need to go but having no clue how to get there.

_452 SW Palms Street. That could take me a long time to find,_ she thought with a pout.

The lights of the LA strip were starting to fill the sky as the sun began to set, and July had no intention of getting lost after dark in the foreign city that was unknown to her. She pulled up into a nice hotel and got a room.

Throwing her stuff onto the floor, she practically ran to the bathroom and took a nice long shower to rinse away all the grim of driving in the car all day long. Dressing into her pajamas and surveying the room, she saw a phonebook and some pamphlets sitting on a table in the corner. She grabbed them and found most of the pamphlets were tourist attractions or restaurants.

Tossing the pamphlets aside, July turned her attention to the phonebook. Opening up the first few pages she found some maps of the town. After a few frustrating minutes, she managed to locate the hotel and started to scan the map for Palms Street. Lucky for her, she found it quickly; it was about a few miles southwest of the hotel. Grabbing one of the hotels pens from the nightstand, she scribbled down the direction on a blank spot on one of the pamphlets and put it in her bag. It would still take her a while to find the place. She's been able to find Palms Street but the small map didn't get any more detailed than that.

Content with the knowledge she marginally knew where she was going, July sprawled on her back on the bed and stared at the speckled ceiling, her mind starting to wonder now that she allowed it to.

_What the heck am I doing? _

Doubt and fear was starting to cloud her mind.

_What if this lawyer refuses to give me anything? What if this is all not true? What if there is nothing for me? What am I going to do? _

Her biggest fear was that she would find nothing at all and here she would be, a girl who just turned eighteen, no family, no job, and stuck in a city that was unknown to here. She felt like crying. She was so lost. She felt like she didn't even know who she was anymore. If for the past ten years she had been lied to and was living a lie, how did she know who she was? Did she really like cars or was she only into them because her "dad" was a mechanic?

Everything was confusing. What was real? July felt like she was in someone else's body. All the images in her head were only half real. Everything felt blurred and was slowly starting to fade as her mind comprehended that she had somehow changed all her memories. In a way, she felt like she had betrayed her real parents by replacing them with someone else. What hurt even more was that she had nothing to really tie herself to them, nothing to remember them by. There was nothing there.

She dug into her bag, pulled out the photo album again, and flipped to the front picture. Here was this couple, her parents, and she didn't really feel anything towards them. How could she love someone that she didn't even remember, someone she didn't know? The people staring back at her were strangers. These were her real parents. These two faces that she only knew by her own. July did genuinely looked like her real mom.

The emptiness she felt inside rose up and she could feel it trying to consume her. Her breath caught in her throat and she could feel the pull inside as tears started to form. Her body shook with a sob and she clutched the album to her chest and rocked back and forth, the tears escaping from her eyes. She laid on her side and turned her over heated face into the cool pillows.

July's sobs started to die down and she hiccupped a couple of times. Finally the pull of sleep called to her exhausted body and she fell into oblivion.

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tbc…


	6. The Next Day

**Chapter 5: The Next Day**

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A loud honking outside finally stirred July out of her slumber. She yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. In the middle of the night she had somehow moved herself underneath the blankets and was now wrapped up tightly in them. Uncurling from them, she sat up and something hit the floor. She looked down and saw the album. She picked it up and looked at the cover, gently tracing the silver inscription before setting it aside and standing up.

Padding softly to the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her jet-black hair that hung to the middle of her back was in tangles. Her face was pale and her eyes were red rimmed and slightly puffy from crying. Wetting a rag with cold water, July patted her face with it for a few minutes and then looked back at her reflection. Her sky blue eyes weren't as red and puffy as before. She decided to say forget it and take a hot shower anyways. It would make her feel better and hopefully untangle her hair.

Fifteen minutes later she was standing next to the window in a pair of cutoff shorts and a gray tank top combing out her hair, wincing as she hit a tangle. Slowly working it out with patience, she looked outside. The street was busy with traffic and the buildings stretched down the street as far as she could see. Opening the window, a delicious aroma entered the room and her stomach rumbled in response.

With her hair now tangle free, she piled it up into a messy bun, packed up all of her belongings and checked out of the hotel, stopping at its attached diner for breakfast.

The sun was shining and it was quickly heating up outside. Collecting her 'baby' from the hotel's garage, she merged into traffic in search of Arnold Lewis, who hopefully had some answers.

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tbc…


	7. Finding Arnold Lewis

**Chapter 6: Finding Arnold Lewis**

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Sometime later she ended up on the outskirts of the city on a less populated street, the sign on the corner stating it was SW Palms Street. Cruising down the road, she looked at the addresses and found she was fortunate enough to be going in the right direction. There were a couple people walking on the sidewalk but it was mostly deserted.

Soon 450 rolled into view and she slowed down and pulled over, not wanting to miss the building. Grabbing the will and keys from her bag, she got out of the car and locked it, resting her hip against the door as she looked up and down the street. Down the street on the left, a building had the numbers 452 on them and July figured it was the one she was looking for.

The building was a cream color with a tan trim and the front window has its blinds closed. It looked empty but there were people in the shops next to it on either side and she hoped that someone would be there.

Walking cautiously to the door, July timidly knocked on it. She heard the shuffle of a chair moving inside and the sound of high heels walking across the floor and then the doorknob turn. The door opened slowly and a gust of cool air hit her, bringing promised reprieve from the heat. Standing in the doorway was a middle-aged women dressed in a black flowing skirt and a white dress shirt. She was tall and slim and looked like the type of person who would fuse over someone even if she wasn't their mom. She had dark green eyes and red hair that matched her lips. Freckles dotted her face and she wore a warm smile, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely but as soon as their eyes met, she froze. July got the feeling that she knew this person and her mind was working over time to put a name to the woman's face but was coming up blank.

"Yeah, umm… I'm here to talk to Arnold Lewis. I was told to come here to talk to him," July answered warily not sure how much she should say.

"Come in and sit down." The woman turned around and starting walking in, leaving the door open.

July walked through the door and quietly closed it. The feel of the air conditioning hit her first and she welcomed it with much relief. The roomed smelled like peaches, which was amusing since the walls were a peach colored.

Stepping further into the room, she took in the furnishings: a cream colored leather couch, several filing drawers that loomed in a corner, a desk that had several picture frames along with a computer and phone, and along the wall was a counter that had various office appliances; it looked like any other office but more personal, it wasn't as detached as most offices. Someone would be able to tell that this office belonged to someone who loved doing what they did and made this place homey. There was several painting on the walls and a beautiful rug took up the space between the couch and the desk. How deceptive the outside was. The outside had made the building look abandoned while the inside was welcoming.

July shook her head as the sense of familiarity rose up in her again. What was it about this place that made her feel like this?

The woman immediately opened a door that looked like it led to the back of the building and disappeared behind it. July sat on the edge of the couch and stared at the will and set of keys that she held in her hands. The woman who had greeted her instantly reappeared as quickly as she had disappeared.

"He will be with you in a-." She was cut off when the door opened. The man July assumed was Arnold Lewis stood in the doorway. He was tall and looked very much like the role of a lawyer in his dark blue business suit, tailored cut. His brown hair was started to turn gray at the temples and he had a slight belly. The man took one glance at July sitting on the couch and abruptly stopped, his brown eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

July felt something spark in the back of her mind again, the feeling that she was forgetting something, like she knew who this man was.

"Robin…?" he gasped out and July stood up.

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tbc…


	8. Talking

**Chapter 7: Talking**

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"Robin…?" he gasped out and July stood up.

"No, my name is July," she said playing with the keys in her hand.

He nodded his head but his eyes still held a slightly dazed look. "Yes, I see that now. You have your father's eyes." July smiled at that. "And his smile, but other than that you look exactly like your mother, only a little taller."

"Thank you," she replied quietly, not sure how to take the obvious compliment.

"Well now, let's head back into my office," he said gesturing with his hands for her to enter the room. "Charlotte, honey, please hold all calls." he ordered to the women sitting at the desk and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Yes, dear," Charlotte answered flashing a smile.

July walked through the door after their exchange and sat in one of the plush chairs that were in front of the large oak desk. The man sat himself behind the desk in the leather office chair and loosened his tie. She stayed quiet, unsure of the situation and studied the room for lack of something to do.

It was a blue color that offset the hardwood floor. There was some documents hanging on the back wall that she was sure were his degrees and certificates. There were several pictures on his desk; one had him and the woman that was in the front room holding each other and the others were family pictures that contained him, the women and two kids, that resembled them, at various ages. She assumed that the woman was his wife and the two kids were his children.

"You have grown up so much since I last saw you," Arnold mused aloud, and July turned to look at him.

"Last saw me?" she questioned, frowning.

"Last time I saw you, you were barely up to my waist and had just had your eight birthday, but you don't remember that," he said sadly.

"I wish I did." The words flying out of her mouth before she could stop them but she didn't regret them because she wish she really did, remember that is. July looked up at him and found a small smile on his face that she returned.

"Well, let me properly introduce myself. My name is Arnold Lewis, your parents' lawyer and family friend," he said extending his hand, which July shook, but as soon as their hands made contact, something flashed in July's mind. She saw her birthday party, her parents and Arnold and his family; but one of his kids caught her attention more. It was a little girl that was holding her hand and laughing. She had red hair and brown eyes and they were laughing together, and then the image was gone.

July open her eyes when she realized she had closed and the first thing she saw were the pictures on the desk and that girl, the girl from the image.

"I saw her. I saw her," she mumbled, clutching her head as a searing pain ripped through it. She brought her feet up and wrapped herself up into a ball, rocking back and forth not understanding what was happening.

"You saw Amy?" he clarified looking at the picture and all July could do was nod. "Let me get you some water," Arnold said, leaving the room and then returning with a glass he passed to her.

July took some sips and then set it down on the desk. "When I shook your hand, something happened," she said finally relaxing a little.

"What happened?" Arnold sat down in the chair next to her.

"I shook your hand and then… I got this image of a birthday party and I was there. My parents were there, and so were you and them," she answered, pointing to the picture. " And she was there, that girl, she was holding my hand and we were laughing and you were all watching us and smiling."

"Sounds like a flashback. Maybe your mind is remembering everything now that you know the truth."

"Maybe…" she whispered, drifting off in thought.

"Is she okay?"

July turned around at the sound of the voice and saw Charlotte standing near the door.

"Yes dear, she had a flashback of her birthday."

"How are you feeling?" Charlotte asked.

"I'm fine, thank you," July replied, lowering her feet to the floor and smoothing out her clothes. She wasn't going to let on how much this had truly shaken her.

"Is there anything I can get you?" she asked.

"No, thank you."

"Do you mind if Charlotte sits with us?" Arnold asked sitting in the chair behind the desk once again.

"No it's fine," July consented, and Charlotte took the seat next to her.

Arnold cleared his throat, running his hand down his tie. "As I was saying, I'm Arnold Lewis, this is my wife Charlotte. The kids in these pictures are our children, Max and Amy. Amy was your best friend when you were little." He handed July a picture of his kids from his desk. The little girl was the same girl from her flashback.

July studied the boy, Max; he was taller than Amy by half a foot, with brown hair and green eyes. They both had goofy grins on their face and were hugging each other.

"I saw him too but she caught my attention." July stared at the picture and the Lewis couple continued to watch with curiosity.

"You must have many questions," Charlotte said in a gently tone.

"Yeah, I do." July set the picture down on the desk and took another drink of water.

"We'll try to answer them to the best of our abilities," Arnold promised with an earnest look.

July was silent for a moment. What question did she want answered the most? Immediately one popped into her head but she was afraid of the answer.

_Girly, you're not going to get any answers if you don't ask the darn question,_ her mind chastised.

She took another sip of water to wet her lips and asked the question she was dreading to ask. "Why did no one come after me? Do I have no family?"

Arnold and his wife shared a look, sorrow clearly evident on Charlotte's face.

We did come for you," Arnold answered, "but the authorities would not release you into our care. Your parents didn't really associate with their families. They didn't part on good terms. Your parents had a few good friends that would have taken you in but most lost hope when we were unable to get you into our custody, and we were their lawyers. We never understood that, and believe me, I argued it for a whole two weeks. Instead, they placed you into an orphanage and a couple took you in. I believe their names were Sam and Mary?" July nodded her head yes but her eyes were downcast. "Did they take good care of you? We did talk to them and let them know of the legal situation."

"Yes, they took good care of me, despite lying to me for ten years," July said bitterly and Arnold and Charlotte exchanged another look.

"But you were given everything you needed, yes?"

"I suppose so."

"Good."

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	9. More Talking and Going Home

**Chapter 8: More Talking and Going Home**

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"You two knew my parents?" she asked as the thought struck her.

"Yes, your father and I were friends in high school and continued to be close friends until…the accident," Arnold answered, his eyes were wistful as if he were remembering something but his voice was sad.

"What were they like?" Her curiosity getting the best of her but the couple seemed unabashed by the question.

"Your dad was a great man," Arnold said grinning. "He was respectful and loyal. He was more of the strong and silent type; he was the thinker. Now, your mom was the complete opposite in everyway. She was loud and bubbly, but somehow they completed each other and fit perfectly. They balanced each other out."

"Where are they buried?" July asked quietly, her breath hitching in her throat.

"They are buried together in a cemetery not too far from here. Shayfield Cemetery," Arnold replied looking down at his hands, which rested on the desk.

"We'll take you there once you get settled in; it's not a trip to do alone at first," Charlotte commented with a sad smile. July bobbed her head in agreement, her mind beginning to wonder again.

"Did they ever catch who killed them?" she finally asked, her voice cooler than before.

A small fire of anger was sitting in her stomach. Anger at the person who had robbed her of her real parents; anger at the world for taking them away from her.

_What did I ever do so wrong to deserve this?_

July quickly stopped wallowing in her own sorrow before she started to cry. She could feel the sting of tears threatening to come forth and she wasn't one to cry in front of people she didn't know.

"No," Arnold confessed. "We paid for a private investigation but no evidence was found to confirm any suspect."

Remember the objects she carried in her hands, July dropped the keys onto his desk, the jingle of the keys hitting each other and the desk seemed to echo in the now quiet room.

"So…you are going to explain everything to me about the will and these set of keys," she incited, also unfolding the will and setting it on his desk.

"Ah, yes back to formal business. Your parents left you everything they own: house, cars, money, possessions, some investments. Financially, you will be secure. We knew your eighteenth birthday was approaching so we took the liberty of having the house aired out and cleaned. We also had all the utilities turned on, the phone, electricity, and all the works. We didn't think you would mind," he said, hesitating, "unless you are thinking about selling the house." As the last words came out of his mouth July felt a cold chill go through her body at the thought of selling the house.

July shook her head in negative. "No, I am going to keep it. I'm going to be sticking around for a while, maybe get a job, go to college, I don't really know yet. Thank you though for having everything fixed, I appreciate it."

"If you would like you could follow us to your parents house and we can discuss everything there," Arnold suggest, getting some folders out of his desk drawer.

"Yes, that would be nice."

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A half an hour later, July was parked next to Arnold in the front of a two-car garage that was attached to a two-story house in Echo Park, or so Arnold has told her. The house was a light green with white trim. It was neither larger nor smaller than the other houses on the street. What made it different was the wrap around porch on the first floor and the extra large garage. It looked nice for not being lived in for ten years. The windows were clean and the grass was cut.

"Well here we are," Arnold said.

July took the keys out of her pocket and looked at them. She had no clue which one was which.

"So, which one is the right key?" she asked, biting her lip.

"May me see those please?"

July handed the keys to Arnold, watched as he examined each one before picking the one that had a green plastic around the top part of the key, and inserted it into the doorknob. With a flick of his wrists he unlocked the door and opened it. By this time her stomach was in knots. She was excited, nervous, and scared all at the same time. Arnold opened the door more and gestured for her to enter.

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	10. The House

**Chapter 9: The House**

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July took a deep breath and walked through the door, walking straight into a small foyer. In the center was a set of stairs that led to the second floor and had hallways on each side. To the right was the living room and to the left was the dining room. The décor was nice, but not overly fancy. The house was mostly decorated in an ocean theme with blues, greens and tans; paintings on the wall had various depictions of the beach.

"As you can see, the living room is to the right and the dining room is to the left. The hallway on the left of the stairs goes to the kitchen, while the one on the right goes to a bathroom, a laundry room, and a small storage room. The garage can be accessed by a door next to the storage room," Arnold explained.

"This is all very nice," July said feeling a little overwhelmed.

"Don't worry in time you'll get use to it," Charlotte assured. "Upstairs is your parents' room, their study, your room and two guest rooms. Each room has its own attached bathroom except the guest rooms, which have a bathroom situated between the two rooms."

July looked around and was just absorbing all the information and studying all the details as much as she could. The silence was finally broken when a clock from the living room chimed noon.

"Oh dear, I hadn't realized it was so late, and now rude of me not to think ahead. Are you hungry dear?" Charlotte asked, being the finicky mother hen July had thought her to be.

"Yeah, a little," July answered when in actuality she wasn't sure if she could eat, her stomach was still feeling a little funny.

"Arnold, why don't you give her a full tour while I fix lunch?"

"Sounds like a good plan," Arnold replied in kind.

Charlotte nodded and walked towards the left hallway, disappearing from view.

"Is there an attic or basement?" July asked, her brows scrunched in thought. Something was whispering in her mind that there was.

"Yes, there are both," Arnold confirmed. "The basement can be accessed from a door on the other side of the stairs." At July's puzzled frown, he let out a hearty laugh. "Why don't I show you everything?"

July smiled in agreement and Arnold promptly took her arm and showed her the house, pointing out small details and making little comments about things. He'd taken her around the first floor and the guestrooms before they ventured into the attic; it was a filled with boxes that July was sure held many answers to questions that Arnold couldn't answer. Arnold hesitated outside her parent's and her room a moment, before giving the hand on his arm a pat and telling her that he'd leave them for her to do later, which she was grateful for.

Making their way back downstairs, they entered the kitchen. It was rather large and spacious, everything in strategic places. It was defiantly a kitchen for someone who loved to cook. Charlotte was still bustling around the kitchen making lunch and gave her a smile.

"As you can tell from the large kitchen your mother loved to cook," Arnold explained without being asked. "I think there is a whole book of her original recipes in the cupboard next to the pantry. There is food already in the pantry, fridge and freezer. Like I said, all utilities are on, water runs, electricity is on, garbage needs to go out on Wednesday," he rattled off, July nodding her head as she took mental notes.

"If I haven't said it yet, I should have. Thank you. I don't know where to have started if you guys hadn't taken care of some of this," July spoke up, never being one to be ungrateful of what she had.

"No worries dear," Charlotte said, coming over to rest a hand on her shoulder. "We know this was going to be tough on you and we wanted to help you any way we could."

"Well, thanks."

Arnold gave Charlotte a squeeze around the middle and shooed her off back to the stove, Charlotte smacking him with the oven mitt she had. Arnold simply chuckled and turned back to July. "Come on, I want to show you the backyard."

July followed Arnold out the French double doors that led to the wrap around porch. In the center was a set of stair that led down to the lawn. The yard wasn't big; it had a small cement area where a barbeque pit sat and a few feet away was a picnic table. A couple of chairs were sitting on the back porch and a table sat along the side, where a few new candles sat in frosty candleholders. It was a place to sit and relax at the end of the day.

"It's all very nice," July commented, not really knowing what to say. Her brain had pretty much shut down. It was a lot to process and she needed some time.

"Yes it is. Your parents loved to sit out here with drinks and just watch you play in the yard," Arnold said, looking into the distance as if he was searching for something.

"I wonder how the neighbors are?"

"Most have lived here for a while. They're all nice people from what I remember. It's been a while since we have been here."

"Will I ever get to meet your family?" July asked eagerly. Inside she was dying to meet Amy, his daughter, her best friend, or at least she had been her best friend.

_I wonder if she will still like me? _ she wondered, fear on the edge of her mind.

"Yes, Amy is still around. She has a year left of school. That brings me to my next question. What about you? Should we be looking to enroll you in school?" Arnold asked.

"I graduated early," July responded, offering the simple explanation at his look of curiosity. "I had did some internship stuff every summer. There were internships for just about everything, so I went to any that I could go to. My favorites were mechanical and art. It gave me credits since it was a school thing. When I had all my requirements and then some they gave me the option of graduating early. So I graduated early and then worked for dad, I mean Sam."

"So you're a mechanic and an art student?" Arnold asked with a lifted eyebrow.

"Yeah, those were my favorites. Sam taught me how to work on cars and the internships helped. One internship I took was on car painting. They taught you what to do, what to buy, how to do it, everything. Sam thought it was the greatest because I came home that summer and knew how to paint cars, something he wasn't too good at. He would normally refer them to someone else since he didn't do paint jobs but when I found out how to he spent some money to add on to the shop for me to do the painting. I ordered all the paint, spray guns, everything. It was my own thing. We didn't get too many paint jobs but enough to have the booth. And when I didn't have any jobs and the shop was slow, it was my place to paint, or design. I had some really good sketches of paint jobs I would love to do," July finished explaining, getting lost in memories of countless hours of designing.

"I would love to see some of your work sometime," Arnold comment and July gave a sad smile at that.

"I don't have any with me, but if I decide to do some sometime, I'll show you."

The sound of a door opening caught their attention.

"Lunch is ready if you guys want to eat, or you know, I could eat it all by myself…" Charlotte said poking her head out and grinning.

"Oh no, we are coming. Right July?" Arnold turned back towards me with a smile on his face.

It hit July then that these people were like her aunt and uncle before. Arnold had known her father since they were in high school, and Charlotte had that motherly aura around her that just said 'mom'. These people that she didn't even know were taking care of her, even before she got there. They had fixed the house, bought her everything she would need, and now here they were feeding her. It had been a few days since she had a home cook meal and the smell of chicken wafting from the kitchen was inviting.

July looked at the two people who were looking at her with nothing but care and she couldn't reciprocate that care; she could only show friendliness, she didn't know these people at all. She decided then and there that she was lonelier than she thought.

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	11. Papers and Plans

**Chapter 10: Papers and Plans**

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After lunch Arnold lead July back upstairs into her parents' study where there were more files that he needed. Charlotte had stayed downstairs to clean up and had said that she would come up as soon as she was done.

The study looked like an office with a couple bookshelves added in. There was a file cabinet that Arnold unlocked with a small silver key that was much smaller than the other keys on the set. He pulled out two more files and then they both seated themselves around a small mahogany table. Arnold opened his brief case and took out yet another file, setting it down next to the two that he taken from the file cabinet.

"Okay," he began, clearing out his throat. "Each folder has a set of papers. You're going to have to sign each one. One set I will keep for legal purposes, one set you will keep, and the other goes to the bank and other companies that need the papers to put all the items in your name," Arnold explained, opening the folders and grabbing a pen from inside his pocket, which he passed to July. He turned all the folders towards her and showed her where to sign on each page. Skimming over the pages, July saw they were just papers to put things under her name and nothing else.

After what seemed like a million signatures later, she was done. Arnold put two sets back into his briefcase saying he would make sure that they went where they needed to go.

"Is there anything I need to know?" July asked shuffling through the papers.

"No, these were just to put everything in your name. Promise. Now, let's see, what else do you need to know?" he mused, leaning back in his chair. The keys to the cars are in the ashtray in each one. You can just add them to the set you have."

"Well, won't do me any good at the moment. They have been sitting for ten years; they are going to need maintenance. New batteries, things like that."

"Oh, yes, well I didn't really think of that. I don't know too much about cars, just how to drive them," he said with a chuckle. "I guess you could fix them since you know how. The garage is large as you can tell, you'll have plenty of workspace. Your father did have a knack for cars and so there are plenty of tools."

July smiled at that. Maybe cars and mechanics were really in her veins after all, and the idea of having new projects at her mercy was thrilling.

"What else? The bills all get automatically paid so you won't have to worry about them. Tomorrow if you'd like we can go to the bank and get you a card and a checkbook to your parents' bank account. Financially you won't have to worry, and if there ever does come a time where you need money, Charlotte and I will always be here for you," Arnold assured her with another one of his smiles.

"Thank you," July said but before she could say anything else Charlotte entered the room, which she was thankful for since she didn't know what else to say. She wasn't use to someone taking care of everything for her.

"Honey? Are you about done? We still have that two o'clock," Charlotte reminded him, looking pointedly at the clock that hung on the wall. It showed it was a quarter after one.

"You're right, with traffic and everything we should get going, and I still have to look through a couple of papers," Arnold said getting to his feet and head for the door, his briefcase clutched in his hand. July followed after them to see them out.

"Are we still going to the bank tomorrow?" she asked as they walked down the porch stairs.

"Of course. How about I come around 11 and I can take you out to lunch and show you around LA so you don't get lost?" Arnold suggested.

"That sounds great," she answered truthfully. She really did need to learn the city.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and if there is anything you need let us know. Charlotte left our office and house number on the kitchen counter."

July nodded her head okay and smiled. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye," they said in unison, waving as they got into their car and drove away.

July closed the door and rested against it. She collapsed into a head on the floor and sat there for a bit, letting her mind catch up with everything. In less than a week her whole life had changed. She had turned eighteen, learned she was adopted and lied to for ten years, and now here she was in LA, not even knowing how to get to the nearest gas station and in a house that belong to her real parents, and only knew two people in the whole city.

_Man you really know how to paint a picture black don't you?_

The house was nice. Too bad she didn't have anyone to share it with. The feeling of loneliness was consuming and she fought to keep it down. But there was a bright side she tired to remind herself. She would meet new people. Here was her chance to start over, do things the way she wanted to.

_First you need to get yourself together. _

She took a couple of deep breaths and got up, her legs not as shaky as before.

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	12. The Room

**Chapter 11: The Room**

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July spent the next hour re-exploring the house, carefully examining each room. She even ventured into the basement, which was cool and dark. It had exercise equipment and weights all over the room and the only door opened to reveal a full bathroom.

She still hadn't gone into her room or her parents'. She couldn't do their room yet. Hesitating outside her old room, she stalled for a moment, not quite sure what she would find. The door didn't hold any clues for her except a wooden plaque that said: 'July's Room'. It was painted white and had firework designs on it, ever the representation of her name.

Slowly she opened the door and walked in. The room was painted a sea-green color. The carpet was a tan, like the color of sand, and the white canopy bed stood out against the colors. Everything was done as if she had done them recently.

_I guess my style hasn't changed,_ she noted with a wry smile.

Other than the bed there was a desk, a bookshelf and on a wall was some shelves. The shelves held small figures, some were glass and some were painted. There were fishes, dolphins, penguins, and any other sea related creature. On the floor down below it was a chest, and opening it up she found some toys. Nothing had been moved at all.

In the middles of the left wall was a door, presumably to the bathroom. On the right wall was a large window alcove that faced west and overlooked the backyard. There were bamboo nightstand on each side on the bed; one had a lamp and a clock and the other had a phone. On the wall next to the door was a dresser and adjacent to it was a closet. I opened the dresser to find clothes for an eight year old girl. She opened the closet to reveal a small walk in closet with even more clothes and shoes. It was slightly amusing that all her old clothes were there, exactly were they had been left ten years ago. She closed both of them laughing lightly.

July turned back to the last thing she had left to explore, the desk. On it was a picture of her parents and her at the beach. Sitting at the desk, she opened the drawers to find coloring books, drawing paper, pencils, crayons, markers, and other craft stuff. She opened the top side drawer to find a folder. Taking the folder out, she opened it to find drawing she had done. They seemed so familiar, like she knew each line on the paper but at the same time the memory of drawing it was blurry and foggy.

There were a couple other drawings of the beach and some were just random doodles. They were rather good for an eight year old. One drawing caught her eye. It was a drawing of a black Dodge Charger. It wasn't the greatest drawing ever but she could still recognize the car.

_Okay, this keeps getting weirder and weirder. First the same style, then the drawings, and now the car. Then again it does make sense since it was me._

Her mind was at conflict. Was this all her or not? Everything seemed like a different person but not. The room already seemed like home. True, she had only been in it for a little while but it already felt like it was hers, like she always had this room, had grown up in it.

Walking down stairs, July headed out to her car to grab her bag. Walking back to her room, she came into conflict on what to do with her old clothes. They weren't going to do her any good. Remembering there were some extra boxes in the attic, she went up and grabbed a couple. After packing all the old clothes and toys, she found a pen, labeled the boxes, and stacked them in an empty corner of the attic.

There was still so much to look through. She still needed to find the courage to go through her parents' room and through their boxes upstairs; but first she had to get settled in. Going through the motions of putting all her clothes into the dresser, she concluded she needed to go shopping, not her complete idea of fun but it was a needed task. When she had emptied out all of her drawers, not everything fit and now looking at what she had with her, she was in desperate need of some more clothes.

_I wonder how mom and dad are? No, they are Mary and Sam and why should you care, they lied to you. _

Her mind was at war with itself. Half of her wanted to turn around and run back to them and the other half wasn't having any of it. She was split. She wanted to know if Sam was getting behind because she wasn't there to help in the shop and how things were going.

July sat on her bed staring at the phone. She chewed on a nail debating if she should or shouldn't. Deciding she was too wound up to do it, and forwent the phone call for a bath.

She walked into to the bathroom, stopping just inside the door. It had a shower stall and a large tub. Checking next to the bath, under the sink, and in the cupboard, she found the place devoid of anything but towels. She was going to have to go out and buy some shampoo and whatnot.

July locked the house and headed to her car.

_Hopefully I won't get lost. I'll just drive down the road and see if I see anything,_ she reasoned, reversing out of the driveway.

Once she got down the hill, she spotted a store down the road called Toretto's. It looked like it only had groceries but she hoped that maybe the person would be able to tell her where she could go. It couldn't hurt, right?

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	13. A New Friend

**Chapter 12: A New Friend **

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July parked her car and got out. Behind the counter was a girl; she looked a little older than her with long dark brown hair and brown eyes. Her skin was darker than her own but didn't look fake. She was looking back and forth between a book and a notebook she was writing in. As July walked in she looked up and smiled.

"Hi," she said being friendly.

"Hi."

"Can I help you?" she asked putting down her pen.

"Yeah, I was wondering if you had shampoo and stuff like that?"

"Oh, no we don't, sorry," she answered apologetically.

"Do you know where I could find a store that does?"

"You new here?"

"Does it show?" July asked with a chuckle. "I just moved in up the road." She gestured back with her hand, feeling comfortable with Mia. She gave off a friendly vibe that just made her want to talk.

"Well, my name is Mia," she said holding out her hand.

"I'm July," she supplied, shaking her hand, and couldn't help but notice how different their hands were. Mia's hands were very feminine compared to her own. Mia's were soft and her nails were nicely manicured; July's hands were slightly rough and calloused from working on cars and she couldn't remember that last time she had done her nails. If Mia noticed, she didn't give any sign of it.

"Well if you keep going down this road and take your second right and drive down about half a mile you'll come to a little super market."

"Down, second right, half a mile, got it," she repeated. "Thanks." July nodded her head and began walking back to her car.

"Hey, where exactly do you live?" Mia called out, forcing July to stop and turn around.

"Just up the street and to your left. I live at the end in the two story green one."

"Hey, I live on that street too. I guess you're our new neighbor. That house has been empty for a long time. Maybe we can hang out sometime or something? I could show you all the cool places and you can meet everyone."

"Yeah, maybe," July answered, thinking maybe she had found a friend.

"Well are you busy Friday afternoon?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

_Friday, let's see, that's that day after tomorrow, and Arnold and I are going to the bank tomorrow and I could go shopping in the morning on Friday,_ she thought in her head.

"Well, no, I don't have anything planned for Friday, why?" she finally responded.

"Oh, well we usually do a barbeque up at the house and watch movies, and I thought maybe you'd like to come. The team is nice once you get to know them."

July hesitated for a moment. Did she really want to get herself into this? But then she remembered this was her chance to start over and figured why not.

"Sure," she answered, Mia's smile growing at her answer.

"Good, I'll come and get you around four on Friday, that sound okay?"

"Yup, sounds good."

"I'll see you then!"

"Yeah, bye. Thanks for your help again."

July got into got car and drove away following Mia's directions.

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	14. Normal Again

**Chapter 13: Normal Again **

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Mia watched as the Honda Accord drove away. Her car sounded like it was tuned up. Maybe not with racing stuff but it sounded like it had been worked on. The car was painted black but as she drove away the color changed from black to blue to green; it was a custom paint job. Maybe she raced, or just like the way it looked. There was no way to tell till she got to know her better.

_July. What a strange name,_ Mia thought to herself as she picked her pencil back up.

The girl was new to LA and had moved into the house that had been empty for a long time. There was something familiar about her though, like Mia had seen her before but couldn't remember. With a name like July she would have remembered her, wouldn't she?

So they had a new neighbor. Mia would have to tell the team.

_The team,_ she mused with a sigh.

Things had changed a lot since the trucks. Brian gave Dom the car and he had left to Mexico. Letty and Leon had disappeared too that afternoon. Vince and Jesse were both in the hospital, and Mia had stayed behind to make sure they were all right. Fortunately, they both made it but not without scars.

Somehow Brian got them all off the hook. He quit being a cop and came back a few months later. The two of them had talked everything out and now they were back together. The thought of Brian brings a smile to Mia's face.

The person that surprised her the most was Vince. When Brian came back the two had a talk that night and came back out with no bruises or cuts. Vince had to be grateful to Brian for saving his life, but he made it know he still didn't like the 'punk'; but he realized that Brian could have left him on the truck but he didn't and he'd earned his respect.

Jesse was still the same crazy kid he was, if not a little more cautious. He was more alert of his surroundings. He didn't like going out alone anymore, but that wasn't a problem since neither Dom nor Vince let him anyways. Jesse was still the 'mad scientist' as he always was and would always be.

Leon and Letty somehow meet up with Dom in Mexico. They were all together for a while. No one but them three knew exactly what happened down there, and Mia figured she'd probably never find out, but things had changed, a lot. Dom and Letty had broken up and now Letty is with Leon. They actually made a cute couple. Dom was okay with it too. Mia already knew that things between him and Letty were over a long time ago but they didn't want to admit it; they were the most stubbornness people she had ever met.

About six months ago they came back after Brian had told them the coast was clear. Mia could remember the day, as they rolled up and got out, Dom standing by himself while Leon and Letty held onto each other, and everyone knew things had changed. It took a while for all the rest of them to get use to it, since Dom and Letty had always been together since they could remember, but things were getting back to normal, finally. They were all racing again and Dom was still the guy to try and beat. So, things were normal again, well as normal as they were going to get.

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	15. Cars and Dinner

**Chapter 14: Cars and Dinner  
**---------------------------

It turned out Mia was right about the store and July found everything she needed. The short drive had helped but she still needed to chill for a bit. She had also bought a small portable stereo and set it up next to the tub. She flipped through her CDs after she had turned the water on, letting the tub fill. Having trouble deciding which one to listen to, she simply put in one of her mixed CDs and pressed play. The song "Bleed" by Cold filled the room as she took off her clothes and slipped into the bathtub. She shut her mind down and let the music fill her head.

After the water had started to turn cold, July slipped out of the tub, pulling the plug and letting the water take her tension with it as it swirled down the drain. She returned to her room, setting down the portable player next to her bed. She dressed in a black spaghetti strapped shirt and a pair of cotton shorts.

Looking at the clock she saw it was only around 4. It was still too early to eat and she wasn't hungry anyways. She sat on her bed, wondering what to do when her eyes landing on her old drawings and she thought of the cars.

The garage.

She still had yet to look in there. Slipping on her sneaker, she headed downstairs and took the hallway towards the back, easily locating the door at the end of the hall on the right.

July opened the door and stepped into a pitch-black room. She fumbled with her hand to find a switch and flicked it on, letting out a gasp at what she saw. A 1968 Chevy Nova, painted a dark blue, and next to it was a 1991 Toyota Soarer, presumably imported in from Japan. A closer look proved that because the steering wheel was on the 'wrong' side of the car. She guess Arnold hadn't been joking when he had said her father had been into cars. The Soarer was painted a midnight blue but you could see the pearls used in the paint, a brighter blue and a purple mix. It looked like the night itself. A classic muscle car and an imported beauty.

July was in heaven.

_If only they ran I could take them for a spin now,_ she thought with a sigh of disappointment.

The garage was bigger than it appeared. There was a large workbench and big drawers that she was sure were filled with every tool she could ever need. There was equipment everywhere; a couple of jacks, an air compressor, and various other things. She had everything she needed to fix them except for parts.

With that thought in mind, she ran to the kitchen and returned to the garage with a pen and paper in hand. Putting them on the workbench, she opened each hood and poked around, checking various parts. Wiping her hands on a rag she found near by, she grabbed the pen and paper and started jotting things down: spark plugs, oil, coolant, hoses, batteries, brake fluid; the list was endless.

After almost filling a whole page, using one side for each car, she was done listing all the parts she needed and some that she wanted. All she needed now was a place to buy them.

Walking back into the living room she noticed it was already after seven and her stomach gave an audible growl. She went into the kitchen and made some pasta for dinner. She lounged in the living room, eating her bowl of pasta and watching some music videos but by nine, her eyes were getting heavy and she fought to keep them open.

Shutting off the television with the remote, she blindly made her way up to her room. She gave a harsh laugh at calling it her room. Last week she didn't even know about it and now she was already claiming it. She continued on her way nevertheless, fumbling on the stairs as she forced her exhausted body to move.

Once July made it to her room, she cracked open the alcove window, allowing a light breeze to enter. She walked over to the canopy bed and got in. Somewhere in the recess of her mind she knew that it all felt familiar, too familiar, but she was too tired to care. She fell asleep with the thought of the new cars in her mind and all the work she had ahead.

---------------------------

A few hours after July had left the store, Mia closed up her books and began the routine of shutting down the store. When she arrived home, she washed up and began making dinner, as the team was going to be home soon.

An hour later the noise of car engines signaled the arrival of the team. They all came through the door and sat down at the table, dressed in their dirty clothes, looking at Mia hungrily.

"Oh, you guys are extra dirty today, go wash your hands at least, they're filthy," she ordered.

"Come on Mia, we're hungry!" Vince protested, even as Dom and Brian got up.

"I realize that Vince, but I'm not having a bunch of dirty monkeys sitting at my table and getting it dirty. You're lucky I'm just asking you to go wash your hands and not making you take a shower, now go, or everyone is going to get to eat before you do."

Vince grumbled a few choice words that no one could make out but himself and he followed the other boys down stairs to use the bathroom.

"You tell him Mia," Letty teased, who was washing her hands in the sink in the kitchen.

Mia gave a laugh and began to set everything on the table. Her and Letty sat down and waited for everyone else, who all turned up shortly. After a quick grace, everyone reached in and soon the food was devoured. Everyone ate their fill and chatted with each other. Once it had become quiet again Mia cleared her throat.

"I've got something to tell you guys," she said.

"What is it?" Dom asked, giving Brian a look. Brian just shrugged, looking lost.

"We've got a new neighbor and I invited her over for the barbeque on Friday."

"You invited a complete stranger over to have dinner here?" Dom asked, irritation was heard in his voice.

"Yeah, we don't need another Spilner. No offense Brian," Letty said and Brian nodded at her telling her he understood what she meant; he didn't want anyone coming in and breaking up the family he just put back together either.

"Look, she's new here. She moved into the empty house next door. She didn't even know where to find shampoo and you think she's a cop?" Mia asked, defending July.

"Mia we don't know anything about her, that's the point," Dom said.

"Look, just give her a chance. I've got a good feeling about her," Mia commented, but one look at Dom said he was still against it. "Please Dom, just let her come over and if anyone has a problem with her I won't have her come over again. Please…" Mia asked him and gave him a pleading look. Soon enough she saw him cave.

"Fine, but if Vince," Dom said looking at Vince and he nodded, "or anyone thinks something is up with the chick, it's over," Dom said knowing that if Vince thought the girl was off then it was true. Dom felt dumb for not realizing that Brian was a cop when Vince did and now respected his judgment more; but in a way he was glad he hadn't realized Brian was a cop because he had gained a good friend and Dom knew he could trust Brian with Mia.

"Thanks Dom," Mia squealed, getting up and hugging him.

"Yeah yeah yeah. So what's her name?"

---------------------------

tbc…


	16. You a Cop?

**Chapter 15: You a Cop? **

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July woke up the next morning totally refreshed. It was a half past eight, and she got up out of bed, taking a quick shower. She left her hair down not feeling like messing with it. Dressing in a pair of jean capris, a black auto shirt from the shop and her beat up sneakers, she headed down stairs and had a bowl of cereal for breakfast. She walked through the swinging door into the dining room and stood by the window.

The sun was already halfway up the sky and glinted off the cars in the driveway over, catching July's attention. Sitting in the drive way was a bright red Mazda RX-7, a blue Nissan Maxima, a dark red Nissan 240sx, a yellow Nissan Skyline, a white VW Jetta, and a turquoise Acura Integra. They were nice cars, racing cars, she added as she made out the various part decals. They'd probably know where to get car parts.

As she finished her cereal and was about to turn away, she saw the girl from the store come out of the door. Mia walked over to the Acura, got in and drove away in the direction of the store. July almost gave a laugh at the irony of it all.

She cleaned up what little mess she had made from the night before and washed the dishes. She looked at the clock and saw she still had about two hours till Arnold came. Having nothing else better to do, she decided to go check on her 'baby' and see how everything was after the long trip.

Walking out side and stepping into the sunshine, July stretched a minute and turned her face to the sky. It felt nice, starting over, a fresh start. She walked over to her car and popped the hood. She checked the pressure on the tires before moving towards the engine and giving it a look over.

When she was almost finished, she held still for a second. She could feel eyes on her. Her hair shielded her face and she slowly turned her head slightly to the side, looking through her hair at the person. While her hair blocked most of the view, she could make out that it was a guy. He was pretty tall; his hair was brown and his beard was scruffy looking. He was well built and was wearing a pair of jeans and a red wife beater. She could tell he was looking at her skeptically, like he was wondering to himself why she was even under the hood of a car.

July finished checking the engine and then stood up, wiping her hands on a rag she always kept in her car. She turned towards him and found his blue eyes staring at her.

"Can I help you?"

"What do you think you're doing?" the guy asked.

"Checking my engine. What does it look like I'm doing?" she snapped back.

"You sure you know what you're doing?"

"Of course I know what I am doing. I wouldn't be messing with an engine if I didn't know what I was doing. I'm not that stupid, " she said getting mad that the guy assumed she didn't know what she was doing since she was a girl.

"Right," he drawled sarcastically and July felt her hands ball into fists.

"Look, I know what I am doing so just leave me alone." She closed the hood with a little more force than necessary and walking to the driver's door. She popped the trunk and put away the rag and the pressure gage. She closed the trunk to find the guy still standing there.

"Look, what the heck do you want?" she asked getting fed up with the guy.

"Are you a cop?" he asked in all seriousness.

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just a question."

"No, I'm not a cop. Now get off my property before I call the cops," she replied, glaring at him. She didn't even give the unknown guy time to respond before she shouldered past him, making him stagger just the slightest and stormed into the house.

_What the heck was that all about? That guy was acting really weird, asking if I was a cop. Yeah you just go up to normal people and ask them if they're a cop, _ she ranted in her head.

She tried to shake off the anger but couldn't.

_Who does this guy think he is?_

July paced in the living room and then settled on the couch, turning on the television and hoping it would distract her. She ended up watching some movie she didn't even like before she heard the doorbell ring. She shut of the set and got up, opening the door to find Arnold on the other side.

"Hello."

"Hey," she replied.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah, let me just grab my wallet." July left Arnold at the door and ran up the stairs. She grabbed her wallet and as a last thought grabbed both sets of keys from the top of her dresser. She ran back down and found Arnold standing in the foyer.

"So ready now?"

"Yeah," she answered, following him out the door and locking it behind her. They got into his BMW and then were off.

After heading to the bank and finding out she was more than financially secure, Arnold took her out to lunch. Once lunch was over, he took her to a few other placed she need to go and got all their business done before 2.

They spent the rest of the afternoon cruising around town, Arnold showing her places to go, where the mall was, and some of his choice restaurants. By the end of the afternoon, July had a good feel for the city and learned most of the layout, and her anger from earlier was almost non existent.

They picked up Charlotte around six and went out to dinner on the pier. July had a great time and found herself laughing half the time. She told them a little more about herself but not much. She didn't know what all to tell them since she didn't even know what was real and what wasn't. They seem to understand that though and didn't push her more than she was willing to give. Arnold pulled up to her house around eight that night.

"Well thanks for showing me the town," she said, getting out. Arnold opened his window to talk to her.

"You're welcome."

"July?" She could hear Charlotte call.

"Yeah Charlotte?"

"We were wondering what you were doing on Sunday. Amy is going to be home and we usually all get together on Sunday. You could come over and meet everyone. Max comes over on Sunday, so he will be there too. We would love for you to come."

July debated over it. In a way she wanted to because she wanted to meet Amy but at the same time she was scared. Scared to learn the true because that meant really having to say goodbye to everything she knew. She was different now though, and that wasn't going to change. She would be the one to decide who she was and if talking to Amy was going to help then she needed to do it.

"Yeah sure," she answered.

"Great, we'll come over and pick you up around two."

"Ok."

"Do you think you'll be okay for the weekend?" Charlotte asked in that concern mother tone and July smiled.

_It's been a while since I heard that tone._ But as soon as she thought that she thought of Mary and all she had lost. Instead of voicing anything, she kept her voice cheerful.

"Yeah I'll be fine. If I need you I have your number, remember?"

"Yes, I know dear, I just worry. Well, we will see you Sunday then."

"Bye," July said waving. She watched as their taillights disappeared into the night before turning back towards her house. She needed to do something. She could feel the anger at everything that had happened rising inside.

She went into the house and went to her room, changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top. Grabbing her CDs and her newly acquired stereo, she went down to the basement. She put in her Papa Roach CD, switched the song, and cranked the volume up. The lyrics of "Last Resort" flooded the room.

July started running on the treadmill. She just kept running, all that mattered was keeping herself moving. She ran for a long time, trying to tire out herself enough so her brain would stop thinking. She eventually slowed her pace half way through the CD and was down to a fast paced walk as "Last Resort" finished playing for the second time.

She stopped completely and took deep breaths, trying to replenish the missing oxygen in her body when the next song came on. It was "Broken Home".

July carried the stereo with her up to her bathroom and let it play as she took a shower. Soon, she stepped out, and shut off the stereo, feeling clean but utterly and totally exhausted, not only physically but emotionally too. Wrapped in a towel, she carried her clothes and stereo into her room, discarding them in a pile on the floor. She slipped on her comfy pajamas and as soon as her head hit her pillow, she was out.

---------------------------

tbc…


	17. Mikey?

**Chapter 16: Mikey? **

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July woke up the next morning around eleven. She got up and got dressed. She had a mission: go shopping, get clothes, and try to find an auto shop. She knew part of the town now so she shouldn't get lost, or too lost at least. The fact that her pocket was feeling very heavy after the trip to the bank yesterday tempted her, but she going to do her best not to let it go to her head.

She was digging around in her bag when her hand grabbed onto her cell phone. She frowned at it, figuring she'd left it at home. Turning it on, she found she didn't have any text messages, but there were a couple voicemails. She listened to the messages. All four of them were from her 'parents' asking her to come home or at least call them to let them know she was all right. She decided she would call them that evening to stop their worrying; she owed them that at least.

Slipping on her shoes, and grabbing her keys on the way out, she went downstairs and programmed Arnold's phone numbers into her phone just in case she got lost. Checking to make sure she had her wallet on her, she considered herself ready and left the house, headed straight for the mall.

About an hour into shopping, July had already made one trip to her car and was sitting at the food court eating when her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"JJ?" the voice on the other end asked. A familiar voice.

"Mikey?" she asked excitedly.

"JJ! Where the heck are you?" Mike asked.

Mike was her best friend from back home. They met each other in the fifth grade and had been best friends ever since. They had a lot of history, maybe more than they should have. They had gone out before and were each other's firsts for a lot of things, but a year after getting together, things were awkward and they both confessed they didn't feel the same anymore. They had broken it off and decided to just be friends again, surprising everyone around when it worked out. They were more like brother and sister than anything now, thick as thieves.

"If I tell you, promise not to freak out?" she asked knowing he was going to freak out anyways.

"Promise."

"Well, right now I'm in the middle of the food court in a mall…in LA." As soon as the last word was out of her mouth she knew she was in for it.

"LA! Are you crazy? What are you doing there?" Mike screamed at her and she flinched reflexively, holding the phone away from her ear for a moment before bringing it back.

"Well, you see I found something out." July took a deep breath and confessed everything to Mile, almost ending in tears.

"Oh JJ, I didn't know," Mike replied, his voice quiet.

"Well, now you do. I'm okay now," she said, Mike scoffing at her. "Well, I am doing better."

"So what's in LA?" he asked after a moment.

"Well, I own a house now, and oh oh, guess what?" she said, excitement infusing her voice again.

"What?"

"Guess who's the owner of not only a Nova, but also an imported Toyota Soarer?"

"No way!"

"Yeah, my real parents owned them so now they're mine."

"You lucky piece of poo," Mike mumbled dejectedly.

"Hey, cheer up. Once I get them running and you come out, I'll let you have a spin."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I still have to work on them though, they have been sitting in that garage for like ten years, so I got my work cut out for me," she added, knowing Mike would be as, if not more, excited about the cars than she was. Mike was about as obsessed with cars as she was. He helped down at the shop sometimes but he wasn't as good as a mechanic as her.

"So LA?"

"Hey, it's not as bad as you think it is."

"If you say so."

"Hey Mikey?" she murmured. July was the only one who got away with calling him Mikey.

"Yeah JJ?" he said, using her nickname.

"How are they?" she asked in a small voice.

"July, I'm not going to lie to you. It's pretty bad. Your parents wouldn't tell me anything so I didn't know why they were all gloomy. Sam closed the shop for the week and Mary hasn't gone to work. They are just sitting at home, I guess worrying about you. You even got me to worry about you," Mike said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh and I bet you didn't sleep at all," July replied sarcastically.

"You know it!"

"So school is starting soon," July prompted.

"Shut up, Miss I-got-to-graduate-early."

"Ha, you're just jealous."

"Damn straight. Now quiet before you make me admit it." Mike took a pause at that. "Wait, damn, you just made me," he added, making her laugh.

July missed this a lot. Mike was really funny and it felt so good to be talking to someone she knew. Thinking about it, she realized everything with Mike was real, none of her memories of Mike were altered and that made her feel better. She had met him in the fifth grade, when I was nine, a year after the accident. She would have hated it any of the memories of Mike were not true.

"It's good to hear your laugh."

"Well it's good to hear your voice," July said, sobering up.

"Hey, there's still like, what, three week till school starts, want me to come down?" Mike asked.

July started to chew on her lip thinking about it. It would be great to have Mike here, even if it were just for a little bit. Mike broke her out of her thoughts when he spoke again.

"Quit gnawing on your lip and tell me to come already."

"How did you know I was chewing my lip?" she asked with a pout.

"July, how long have I known you now and you think I wouldn't know your habits?"

She gave a grumbled. "Fine. I don't know about it though Mike. I don't want you to be wasting money on coming down here."

"JJ, fine, I'm coming whether you want me to or not."

"What about Vanessa?" she questioned, knowing that might be the only thing that would keep him there. Vanessa was his current girl friend and also a good friend of hers. It wasn't that she didn't want Mike to come; it was that she didn't want him to be dropping everything because of her. She didn't want to feel like a burden and it was as if Mike had read her mind when she heard what he said next.

"JJ, don't worry. You aren't a burden to me or to anyone. I'll talk to Vanessa, you know she will understand once I explain to her."

"Mike…don't tell everyone yet, just Vanessa and maybe your mom. Let my parents tell everyone when they are ready. Okay?" she asked. While she was still angry, she didn't want to bring them any more pain.

"Okay."

"I'm going to call them tonight," she admitted.

"Are you going to be okay doing that?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm just going to be talking to them, not seeing them."

"Yeah, but July, don't let them make you feel bad about your decision. I would have done the same thing if I were you."

"I know." July cleared her throat, deciding to change the subject. "So when are you going to come?"

"I'll leave tomorrow, probably be there by Monday and then I can help you on the cars."

Mike and July talked for a while longer, straightening out all the small details. She later hung up with a smile on her face. She was going to see Mike in two days and be working on the cars together. It was enough to put her in a permanently good mood and help her get through shopping.

As she continued shopping, her attention was caught by a tattoo parlor. Biting her lip, she entered the shop and chatted up a guy about getting a tattoo. Ever since she read that her real parents had called her firecracker, she had thought about getting it tattooed, as if it would make the connection she wanted. The man offered her a lot of information and gave her one of his business cards for the future.

After the tattoo parlor, July continued her shopping, and once she was loaded down with bags, she made another stop to her car. While she would have considered herself done, now that Mike was on the way, she wanted to grab a couple more things. She ventured back in, stopping at the last store to buy some CDs and her priciest purchase of the day, a Gamecube, along with a couple of games. She had bought everything she would need and then some.

She realized she had spent more than she ever had in her life, but this would probably be a one time thing, along with the car parts. She usually wasn't one for spending a lot, unless it was on her car, and even then she was picky about what she spent her money on. She was a natural penny pincher, as Mike liked to call her.

She returned home around two and unloaded everything into the foyer. From there, she took things where they went. She put all her new clothes away and then went back downstairs and began putting everything else away. She set up the Gamecube and put the games on the entertainment center next to it.

Looking at the clock, July saw it was almost three.

_Crap, Mia is coming over at four to get me!_

July raced upstairs, took a quick shower, and dressed into a new pair of black cargo capris and a red tank top. She put on her newly bought black sneakers and stared at her hair in the mirror, wondering what to do with it. She brushed it and decided to leave it down again, running her hands through it so it fell in gently waves down her back.

She dabbed some lip gloss on and then put some black eye liner on. She had just stuck her wallet into the back pocket of her pants when the doorbell rang. Checking herself in the mirror for the last time, she considered herself as good as it was going to get and went to answer the door. Opening the front door, she saw Mia standing there in a pink floral print dress.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey."

"You ready?"

"Yeah," July answered, stepping out and locking the door behind her. Mia gave her a smile and began leading her over to her own house.

The walk to her house was too short; before July knew it they were walking through Mia's house to the backyard. The two chit chatted as Mia showed July around downstairs real quick. When they entered the kitchen, Mia passed July a bowl of potatoes salad to carry out. July gripped the bowl nervously as Mia started to open the back and couldn't help but wonder what she had gotten herself into.

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tbc…


	18. The Barbeque

**Chapter 17: The Barbeque **

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Vince decided not to tell anyone about what he had done. He really didn't want Mia mad at him. He and everyone else were standing around outside, except Dom, who was at the grill with Brian. Mia had left a couple minutes ago to get the girl. At the sound of the back door opening, everyone looked over.

The door opened with a creak and all eyes were on July. She felt a little insecure under their scrutiny. Following Mia's lead, she set the food on the table and stood back with her hands in her back pockets, allowing everyone to get their eye full.

"July, this is Dom, my brother," Mia introduced gesturing to a large, tan, well built man. He looked like he was in his early twenties. He was bald and his chocolate brown eyes were studying the new girl. His white wife beater outlined his muscles well and his pants hung loosely on his hips. He gave July a small nod and continued to study her. July could tell he was the leader; the way he stood there with his arms crossed and the persona he gave off.

"This is Jesse." Mia looked at a skinny blonde guy who had blue eyes. He was standing there as if he wasn't sure what to do. He looked a little older than July. She could see the ends of his blonde hair sticking out from underneath his beanie, and she gave him a smile that he returned timidly.

"This is Leon and Letty."

July took note that Mia said their names together. She looked over and saw a guy and a girl holding onto each other. Leon had brown hair and hazel eyes. He had a good build and was chewing on a toothpick. Next to him was his presumed girlfriend. She looked tough in that 'don't mess with me' way. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her brown eyes were regarded July carefully. July nodded her head understanding that they were together and Letty seemed to relax a bit.

"This is Brian, my boyfriend." Mia grabbed the hand of a guy that was standing next to Dom. He had the surfer look down: tan, blonde wavy hair, and blue eyes. He gave July a small smile and she returned it.

"Last but not least, we have Vince."

July breath hitched as she took in the last guy. It was the guy that had come by the day before, asking her if she was a cop. She glared at him and he sheepishly looked away. If anyone noticed the exchange between them, no one said anything. She studied him again and noticed something she hadn't before: the scars on his arm. They stood out on his arms and chiseled their way through the tattoos.

"Guys, this is July," Mia said, standing next to her. Everyone murmured a hello and she waved back. She watched as Vince went over to Dom. They talked quietly for a sec, and then Dom looked over at July. She smiled at him but he turned back toward Vince continued to talk to him.

---------------------------

"Vince, what do you think of this girl?" Dom asked looking over at July, turning back to Vince when she smiled at him.

"I don't sense anything is off about her," Vince answered, looking down, feeling ashamed for the way he acted. Damn if he didn't know how to be a real jerk sometimes. It didn't help that she hadn't ratted him out and told Mia what he'd done. She didn't owe him anything but yet she'd kept her mouth shut.

"Vince, what's up? You won't even look me in the eye."

"Dom, I might have done something."

"What did you do?" Dom asked in that voice that sounded calm but was anything but that.

"I might have gone over yesterday and asked if she was a cop?"

"Vince, what the hell did you do that for?" Dom growled.

Vince didn't say anything; he just stood there.

"Does Mia know?" Dom asked, running a hand over his head.

"No, if she knew she would be mad as hell."

"But you don't think she's a cop?"

Vince looked over at July, who was talking to Brian. "No, she ain't a cop. I just get the feeling that something is going on in that head of hers."

"What do you mean something's going on?" Dom questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't know, guess we will find out at dinner," Vince said, walking away. He needed a beer if he was going to make it through the night.

---------------------------

"So you're July?" Brian asked.

"Yup, that's me, the one and only," July replied, rocking back on her heels.

"Unusual name," he commented, in a way that made her think he didn't believe it was her real name.

"It's my real name if you're wondering. My parents named me after the month I was suppose to be born in. We can't all have typical names, you know," she teased with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," Brian said chuckling. "Come on, let's go see if Mia need help," he suggested, trying to be friendly.

"Sure."

July followed Brian over to where Mia was setting the food around the table.

"Bri, can you go in and get the drinks? They are on the table," Mia asked.

"Sure thing." Brian kissed her on the check and disappeared back into the house.

"So what do you think of everybody?" Mia asked as soon as Brian left and continued to set out the food.

"Well, I've only talked to Brian so far," July replied, lying, for what reason, she didn't know. It wasn't like she knew Vince, but she didn't want to make waves in the water. "But everyone seems okay," she finished answering and then began to help Mia set the food along the table.

"Dom, is the chicken done yet?" Mia called towards her brother.

"Yeah, I am taking it off the grill now."

And sure enough a few seconds later, Dom appeared with a plate piled high with chicken. As Dom sat down at the head of the table, everyone started to come over and sit. Brian came back out loaded with a handful of Coronas and two Snapples, one of which he handed to July and the other to Mia.

July told him thanks and watched as he passed out the beer and set the extra on the table. Mia sat down on Dom's right and Brian sat next to her. Mia looked up at July to see her unease and then looked over to Brian.

"Brian, scoot over so July can sit next to me."

Brian moved over and so did Mia. She grabbed July's arm and pulled her down on to the bench. She was grateful and embarrassed that Mia had picked up on her awkwardness, but gave her a smile anyways.

Everyone else sat down, Vince just happening to sit across from July. Jesse sat next to Vince, and then Letty, and finally Leon at the other end of the table. Vince started to grab food and growled when Dom stopped him.

"Vince, you know the rules."

"Fine." Vince mumbled out some half intelligent blessing and then everyone dug in.

"So, is July your real name?" Dom asked, taking a bite of chicken.

"Yeah, but my old friends called me JJ and-" she stopped in mid sentence, not sure if she should reveal what her parents use to call her.

"And?" Dom prompted.

"Nothing," she replied, shaking her head. "My friends call me JJ."

"JJ? Why did they call you that if your name is July?" Brian asked.

"My full name is July Jones and that got turned into JJ."

"I see. So where are you from?" Dom asked, trying to get more information, even though he would have Jesse run a profile search on her later now that he had her full name.

"Around," July answered, playing with her food, not really wanting to talk about it.

"Around where? At least give us a vague location."

"Around Texas, but I don't really want to talk about where I am from. It's kind of a sore subject right now," she added looking down at her plate and missing Mia sending Dom a glare over her head.

"Okay…how about telling us something about yourself?"

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"I like cheese," she answered, dead serious. Everyone got quiet and July let out a laugh, everyone else joining in, Dom shaking his head. "Well, despite what others might believe," she gave Vince a pointed look, "I'm a mechanic and a painter. I also like to draw paint designs," she added, and then felt everyone's eyes on her. "What do I got something on my face?" she asked, running her hand over her face.

"No," Dom said chuckling. It was a deep rumble and it sent tingles down her spine.

"Then what?"

"They are just all impressed because you pull your own wrench time," Letty said smirking, and July could see something akin to respect in her eyes.

"Yeah, it's not often we get a girl mechanic around here," Brian explained.

"So you're a painter too?" Leon asked.

"Yeah, I know how to paint a car. I had some wicked designs drawn, too bad they're still in Texas," she trailed off. "Well, no worries, I can always draw more."

"So what car do you have?" Jesse asked and everyone laughed.

"What's funny?" July asked, looking around at everyone.

"Nothing, it's just Jesse, he's our mad scientist. He knows an engine better than any mechanic ever will. This boy is a genius," Dom answered, pride in his voice.

"Oh, well right now I am driving a Honda Accord, but I am going to be working on a Nova and a Toyota Soarer."

"No way!" Leon exclaimed, almost jumping out of his seat.

"Yeah, but they have been sitting in the garage for like ten years, so I gots me some work to do."

"Well, if you need any room to work, I own a garage," Dom said.

"Really?" she asked, turning back to him.

"Yeah, I own DT Automotive and the store that you met Mia in. So if you need room to fix the cars, we have some."

"Thanks, I'll keep it in mind, but the garage has more than enough room and tons of equipment, but if I ever do need room, I'll take you up on that offer." She paused, taking a drink. "Only thing that sucks is I'm going to have to learn to drive opposite though."

"Hey, maybe I could teach you once you get the car fixed," Leon suggested. July didn't fail to notice the way Letty tensed up the slightest.

"I'll think about it, but speaking of cars, do you guys know where I could get good parts?" she asked, looking at Jesse but he looked like he was in a far away place.

"Don't worry about Jesse, he's probably just envisioning all that he could do to a car like yours. But if you're looking for parts, try The Racer's Edge. Tell Harry that Dom sent you. He'll fix you up with everything you need, and if doesn't have it, he'll ship them overnight from Japan."

"Awesome. Can you tell me where it is?"

"If you want, I could take you so you don't get lost?" Dom said. Internally, he really was curious about this girl. There was something about her. He wanted to know about her past and what she didn't want them all to know.

"Sure," she agreed. "What time tomorrow?"

"How about around two? I've got some things to do tomorrow in the morning."

"That sounds good," July said smiling. "So what about you guys, what cars do you have?"

"I've got a Skyline, that's how I know how to drive opposite," Leon said and July gave him an acknowledging nod.

"Toyota Supra," Brian said.

"Acura Integra," Mia said next.

"Nissan 240sx," came from Letty.

Mentally, July was putting everyone's face with the cars that she'd seen in the driveway.

"Mine's the Seven," Dom said grinning. When Vince didn't say anything Dom looked over at him.

"Nissan Maxima," he mumbled out. Dom gave him a weird look, trying to figure out what's his problem was. If he didn't pick up his act soon, Mia was going to get curious. But then again, Vince was notorious for his 'moods'.

"And that leaves the Jetta to Jesse," she concluded, looking at Jesse but he still looked lost in thought. All the sudden he got up and disappeared into the house.

Mia bumped shoulder with her, giving her a smile. "Yeah, that's right and that's typical Jesse for you. He probably went in to get on the computer to start getting the parts down."

July laughed and so did everyone else at Jesse's behavior.

"So do you race?" Dom asked.

"No. I've wanted to though. Sounds like a great adrenaline rush to me."

"Well you're already half way, being a mechanic and having that Soarer. It would make a good ride. You'd just need to learn how to really drive your car."

"Yeah, and where am I going to learn to do that?" she shot back, and everyone laughed.

"I guess you really aren't from around here," Letty commented, making July frown.

"Dom is pretty much the top of street racing in LA. No one has every beat him, they've come close but no one has," Leon said giving a glance at Brian and July raised an eyebrow at him.

"First time I raced, I almost beat Dom," Brian explained with a grin and Dom laughed.

"There's no almost Brian, remember that," Dom said good-naturedly.

"So you could teach me, maybe?" July asked, pushing her luck. She really didn't know these people but it never hurt to ask. They seemed like a nice group so far.

"Maybe, we'll see what you've got," Dom answered with a smirk.

Mia frowned at his answer. She really hoped July wouldn't get sucked into the vortex that was Dom, because once it started, there was no stopping it. She was really hoping July would hit it off with Vince instead. She felt bad about the way things had panned out, but if she could get him interested into someone else, maybe he'd be happier. She'd just have to wait and see.

The evening continued on. July got to know everyone a little better. Everyone was laughing and joking by the time it got dark, everyone except Vince that was.

Vince was quiet and didn't say anything even if someone said something to him. As Mia and Brian began to clean up, everyone headed into the living room to watch a movie. July started up the back stairs, but Vince grabbed her by the arm, stopping her. He dragged her over to the picnic table and stood still for a second.

---------------------------

tbc…


	19. Friends?

**Chapter 18: Friends? **

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"What the heck do you want?" she asked, mad that he just grabbed her after the way he acted yesterday. She stared at him and finally he looked up.

"Look, I just…I wanted to apologize for yesterday," Vince said in a rush, stuffing his hands into his pockets and staring at his feet. He'd really prejudged her yesterday, something he was raised not to do. He had no right to do what he did and he owed her after she didn't tell on him.

July couldn't help but smile at the picture he presented. He looked like a little boy who had gotten into trouble. She stared off at the streetlights twinkling off in the distance as her brain processed everything she'd learned.

"Why did you ask me if I was a cop? Is it because of the racing thing?" July questioned, looking back at Vince and saw him studying her.

Vince was quiet for a few minutes and then looked away, taking a deep breath. He was trying to figure out if he should tell her or not. She seemed trustworthy and Vince didn't get a bad feeling from her, but he didn't know this girl for nothing and there was no way he was just going to spill everything because she had a pretty smile.

_Where did that thought come from?_ he growled in his head, mentally shaking it.

Vince finally settled on telling her a smidge of truth, he owed her that much at least.

"What I tell you is going to stay between me and you until everyone decided it's okay for you to know. Deal?"

July nodded her head, very curious as to what Vince was going to tell her.

Vince took another deep breath and explained vaguely about how Brian was an undercover cop and how he tried to catch them for something, but wouldn't say what. He also explained that there was an accident and that Brian saved his life and now was part of the team. "So that's why I wanted to know if you were a cop because Brian was an undercover one and we don't want any trouble," he finished. He hadn't spilled any team secrets and hadn't told her anything more than what she'd hear off the streets.

July looked away in though, mulling over what he had said. It all did make sense in the end, why he asked her.

"Vince, it's cool. I understand. You were just trying to protect your family. It's nothing I wouldn't do if I had a family," July replied and offered him a small, sad smile. "You just didn't want a repeat of what happened."

"No, we don't, but I guess it all didn't turn out so bad," Vince said, looking wistfully into the kitchen window where Mia and Brian were laughing and throwing soap bubbles at each other.

"Let me guess, you liked her, she didn't see you that way, he came in and swept her off her feet and now you kind of owe him your life."

Vince gave a growl of frustration at being read so easily. "Yeah, that's pretty much it, but I'm over it. "At July's raised eyebrow, he relented, wondering how she was able to read him so well. "I'm as over it as I'll ever be. He makes her happy and that's all that matters."

"So, the scars are a nifty souvenirs from the accident?" she asked and Vince laughed.

"Never thought about them like that."

"Well, yours beats mine," she commented, raising her arm to point out her own scar.

"I guess they do," he replied, wondering where hers came from but not willing to push his luck at the moment. "So I'm forgiven?"

"I guess so. If I have to," she answered with a giggle, and Vince gave her a look of warning. "So friends?" she said, sticking out her hand.

"Friends," Vince agreed, shaking her hand, ignoring the warmth that her hand in his created. "Come on, let's get inside and join the others before they start to wonder what happened to us."

"Yeah, they might think I kicked your butt, you big baby," July teased, laughing and running into the house. She could hear Vince coming after her. She sprinted into the living room and everyone looked up.

"I'm gonna get you for that one July!"

"You wish Vince," she called back, coming to rest behind the armchair where Dom was sitting. Leon and Letty were sitting together in another armchair and Jesse was by himself on the couch.

"So, Coyote, what were you two up to?" Leon asked, smirking from his chair.

"Coyote?" July repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's a nickname, and we were just talking," Vince answered, sitting down on the couch. For whatever reason, Leon implying July was one of those girls upset him, but it wasn't something he wanted to think about at the moment. So he brushed it off and focused on the movie playing.

"Sure," Leon replied sarcastically.

"We really were talking," July said not wanting anyone to get any ideas.

"Don't worry girl," Letty spoke up, "you probably were, Le just can't get his head out of the gutter."

"Hey!" Leon exclaimed.

"What?" Letty asked innocently and everyone laughed.

July sat down between Vince and Jesse on the couch. She snuggled deeper into the couch and turned her attention to the movie.

Once the second movie was over, almost everybody was asleep. Vince and Jesse had left a couple minutes ago to bed. Dom and July were the only ones left in the living room. July checked her watch and saw it was a little after midnight. She yawned and then stood up.

"I should get going," she commented, feeling a faint flush fill her body as she realized Dom's eyes were on her as she stretched.

"Yeah, it's getting late," he agreed, getting up and walking her to the door.

"Well, thanks for dinner."

"No problem." Dom opened the door and step out with her onto the porch.

"So I'll see you tomorrow at two?" July asked.

"Yeah, just come over. We can take my car," Dom replied, a half smile on his face.

"Okay, will do." July turned to begin walking down the steps when Dom's voice stopped her.

"You think you can make it to your house okay?" he asked looking around outside.

"Dom, I live next door, not a mile away. I'll be okay walking the couple of feet to my door," she teased and then started to walk down the steps.

"If you're sure."

"Don't worry so much. See ya tomorrow." July looked over her shoulder at him. The porch light outlined his large form but she couldn't see his eyes.

"Yeah tomorrow…" Dom said and watched as she walked the short distance to her house and disappeared inside.

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tbc…


	20. The Search and a Phone Call

**Chapter 19: The Search and a Phone Call **

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Dom got up at eight the next morning and headed downstairs after dressing in his work clothes. As he came down the stairs, he saw Jesse and Brian in the living room watching TV.

"Morning," Brain greeted and Dom grunted in response, not feeling too awake yet. He headed into the kitchen and found Mia making breakfast.

"Hey," she said passing him a cup of warm coffee.

"Hey," Dom replied, taking a sip.

"So…"

"So what?"

"You know what. What did you think of July?" Mia asked as she began cooking breakfast.

"She seems okay."

"Well you haven't scared her away yet so that's good."

Dom gave his sister a glare, even as she smiled at him.

"You better watch it. It's too early," he warned.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, quit your whining. So what did you really think of her, and be honest," Mia demanded.

"I told you, she seems alright. I don't know too much about her but I can fix that."

"Jesse?" Mia mused with a frown, not always happy with her brother's method of gaining information.

"Well for starters, but I'll also talk to her today."

"Yeah and we all know how that's going to go." Mia gave a laugh at Dom's glare. "So what are the plans for this morning?"

"We got races tonight, so we're going to head down and do weekly checks on the cars. And Jesse put some new parts in the Seven that he wants to check over," Dom answered, grabbing the morning newspaper and sitting down at the table."

Mia finished making breakfast and everyone dragged themselves into the kitchen, lured in by the smell of food. Breakfast was had and soon after everyone left to the garage.

Half way through checking over the cars, Dom headed over to Jesse.

"Jess, we got something to do."

"What?" he asked, looking up from the engine.

"I want you to look up July for me."

"Alright," he said immediately, wiping his hands on a rag.

The two headed in to the office and Jesse started to work his magic on the computer. Within moments he had July file up and read it.

"Let's see. Name, July Jones, age eighteen. Born August ninth, 1984. They have her current address as here in LA. No felonies or misdemeanors. A couple speeding tickets, but other than that she's clean."

"Does it say anything about where she use to live?" Dom asked, looking over Jesse's shoulder.

"Ah, no but she has school records with San Pedro Valley High in Texas, so she wasn't lying when she said she was from Texas."

"Wait, if she's eighteen, doesn't she have a year of school left?" Dom asked.

"According to this no, she actually has extra credits. They already gave her a diploma," Jesse said, bringing up a copy of a diploma and her transcript.

"What about her parents?"

"Let me check."

Jesse was quiet for a few minutes and then he turned back towards me.

"What?" Dom asked noticing the sad look on his face.

"Dom, her parents are dead."

"What?"

"There was an accident. Someone attacked them, her parents were killed and then some people adopted her and I guess when she turned eighteen she left."

"No wonder she didn't want to talk about it," Dom thought aloud, remembering how July closed herself off last night when he asked where she was from.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Jess, let's not tell anyone about this yet. I don't know her well enough but I know she would be pissed if we all found out by looking her up."

"Yeah, this is big."

"Thanks Jesse."

"No problem," Jesse said as he shut down the computer.

"Let's go finish up the cars."

"Wait." Jesse fished around in his pockets and finally pulled out a piece of paper. "Here."

Dom took the scrap of paper from him and found Jesse's jumbled handwriting on it. "What's this?"

"A list of parts. It's for July, for her car. Man, I can't wait to get my hands on that Soarer," Jesse said rubbing his hands together and a gleam appeared in his eyes.

"Down boy, it's her car first off and second, you haven't asked."

"Fine, just give her that list and tell her it will make her car way better for racing."

"Okay," Dom said and put the list in his pocket. "Let's go finish the cars first."

By noon they had finished the team's cars. They headed down to the store for lunch and then went back to work. Around one, Dom went home. He trekked upstairs and took a quick shower, then put on some jeans and a wife beater. He grabbed a black button up shirt as a last thought and threw it on. As he walked down the stairs, buttoning his shirt, the doorbell rang.

---------------------------

_Earlier:_

July's eyes fluttered open and things slowly came into focus. She snuggled into the blankets and looked over at the clock, seeing it was a little after ten. She slowly stretched out her body and then curled back up. She had only been in the house for three days but it already felt like home and that freaked her out a bit. This was a totally strange house to her but yet she felt she was exactly where she should have always been.

She lay lost in thought when Mike popped into her head. He was leaving home today to come see her. A smile broke out on her face at the thought of seeing her best friend. July slapped herself on the head when she remembered what they talked about. She was supposed to call home.

_Crap, crap!_

July sat up in bed and grabbed the cordless that she had set up.

_I guess it's not too early to call over there, it would only be like noon. They should be home,_ she mused.

Turning on the phone, July punched in the number she knew by heart and listen to the phone ring. Each ring felt like it dragged on forever and just as she was about to hang up, someone picked up the phone and her breath caught as soon as she heard their voice.

"Hello?" a tired, feminine voice answered.

"Hello," she replied, keeping her voice flat.

"July?" Mary asked and July could hear the hope in her voice.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Oh, July, honey, we were so scared. We thought something might have happened to you," she sobbed.

"I'm fine. I'm just calling to say that I found the lawyer and everything is settled. I am staying here," she deadpanned. It was hard to remain neutral. She wanted to yell in anger and jump for joy at the same time from hearing her voice. Half of July was mad at what Mary had done and the other half was just content from hearing her voice.

"You mean in LA?" Mary whispered into the dead silence the hung between the two.

"Yeah, in LA."

"Mike came over yesterday for dinner and told us he was going to go see you," Mary said after a moment.

"Oh."

Mary gave a sigh and July could hear the tears in her voice.

"Look, July, we weren't-"

"I don't want to talk about it," July said, cutting her off.

"July…"

"Mary, I don't want to talk about it. I just called to let you know I was alive and I am going to be living in LA now, this is my home now." July could feel the tears she was repressing slowly trail down her face as she said the words. It hurt more than anything to say those words to her but at the same time it felt liberating; she was free. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time.

"I'm sorry," Mary softly said.

"Are you really?" July asked, her anger coming to the surface.

"July, we are so sorry, you don't know how sorry we are, but please think about it. What else were we suppose to do?" she pleaded.

"I don't know…look, I'm going to get going. I'll call sometime," July said in a rush and hung up. She put the phone back and stood up.

July went into the bathroom and stripped. She turned on the shower and stepped in and let the hot water wash over her. The tears came like a flood. She laid her head against the shower stall and let them fall. She cried for that little girl who lost her parents, she cried for that girl who lived a false life, she cried for that women who might never know the truth.

---------------------------

Some time later when her chest hurt from sobbing, July cleaned up and got out, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She felt as if she were looking at someone else. She dried her hair out and then stuck it up into a ponytail, leaving a few wisps of hair down to frame her face. She went back into her room and shifted through her drawers, finally pulling out a pair of black jeans she'd cut to mid-calf and a white tank top. After dressing she slipped on her sneakers and then headed down stairs.

July had some cereal for breakfast and then stood there; she was restless. With nothing else to do until she got the car parts, she cleaned the house and did what little laundry she had. She was sitting in the kitchen eating lunch when she looked up at the clock. It was one. She only had another hour till she'd go over to meet up with Dom. She finished eating and then headed out to the garage, doubled checking over the list she had made.

She zoned out and by the time she checked the clock again it was ten minutes to two. Stuffing the list back into her pocket, she headed up to her room. July grabbed her wallet, her keys, and some money and stuffed it all into her pockets.

She left the house, locking it behind her and headed over to Mia's house. Walking up the porch, she couldn't help but be nervous. She smoothed out her shirt and ran a hand over her hair. Satisfied that she looked okay, July stepped up to the door and rang the doorbell, hearing the sound of footsteps before the door swung open.

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tbc…


	21. Getting Car Parts

**Chapter 20: Getting Car Parts **

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"Hey," Dom said.

"Hi," July replied.

"Ready to go?"

"Yup," she said taking a step back from the door.

Dom grabbed his keys and then came out. He smelled masculine and clean and July couldn't help but take a deep breath in; he smelled good. Dom's shirt was unbuttoned on the top and she could see a smooth expansion of tan muscle. Tingles rippled across her flesh as she envisioned what lay beneath the shirt.

_Snap out of it, he's going to think something's wrong with you if you just stand there staring,_ July said to herself.

"Let's go," Dom said after noticing that July was staring and decided to break her out of her reverie. He saw the faint blush that tinted her cheeks and started to study her. July looked up to see Dom staring at her just as intently as she had.

_Well, two can play that game,_ July thought with a smirk.

"Okay," she said and turned around. She confidently walked down the steps and looked over her shoulder to see if he was following; he hadn't. "Yo, Dom, are you just going to stand there all day and look at my butt or are we going to go get parts?"

Dom couldn't stop the shock expression that crossed his face but when he realized she was playing with him, he grinned back at her.

"Yeah," he said, slowly walking down the steps.

"Yes to which part?"

"Both," he replied laughing and July rolled her eyes at his typical make reply.

They both got into the Seven and after stepping down on the clutch, Dom started the car. Releasing the emergency brake, he slid it into reverse and rolled down the driveway.

"This is nice," July said admiring the car. It was a really nice car; there was no doubting that.

"Thanks," Dom said as he put the car into first and shot off with a squeal and a slight burn of rubber. July scrambled to get her seat belt on and Dom laughed at her. "Don't tell me you're scared."

"No, I'd just like to live to see tomorrow," she snapped back and Dom chuckled. He slowed down his driving a bit and saw her settled more comfortably into her seat. As Dom drove, July took mental notes of all the stops and turns and they soon arrived at Racer's Edge.

"Here we are," Dom said, pulling the car into a parking spot. "Oh, Jesse wanted me to give you this," he said handing her the scrap of paper with the list of parts on it.

"What's this for?" she asked reading it over.

"Jess just told me to give it to you and said if you wanted to race, this is what you would. We never really question what Jesse says about the cars, he's always right. So if Jesse says you need this, then you need it." He saw her read over the list again and glanced over at him.

"This is going to cost quite a bit," July muttered and contemplated buying the parts. She had the money, more than enough, but she didn't know if she should buy them.

"If money is an issue then wait or just buy a part or two."

"No, it's not really an issue, I'm just not sure whether to buy it," she said and started to chew on her lip. This automatically caught Dom's attention and he was drawn to her lips. Dom wetted his lip and started to lean forward, he didn't have a clue what he was doing. They were both startled when Dom's pocket began to ring. Dom quickly leaned back and took out his cell phone.

"Talk," Dom growled into the phone. "Okay…Maybe…We'll be back in a while…Bye."

While Dom was talking, July figured that she would buy the parts but after this, she wasn't going to touch the money unless she needed to. She would need a job; she wouldn't be able to sit around the house all day and do nothing.

"So what was that about?" she asked Dom as soon as he hung up.

"Just Vince, Jesse wants a couple of parts while we're down here."

"Oh."

"You still want to get the parts right?"

"Yeah, we didn't make this trip for nothing. I'm not leaving here empty handed."

"Believe me, you won't," Dom said.

They both got out of Dom's car and headed into The Racer's Edge. July was amazed. This was definitely a racing parts store. She didn't think she had heard of some of the stuff that was sitting on the shelf. Rims lined the walls near the ceiling and there were a variety of racing parts in display cases.

"Hello Dom," a man behind the counter greeted. He was kind of stocky and his dark blonde hair was starting to gray a bit. He wore a happy smile on his face and stuck out his hand for Dom to shake.

"Harry," Dom said taking the offered hand and shaking it.

"And who is this lovely lady?" Harry asked turning towards July.

"This is July, she's new," Dom said. "July, this is Harry. He's the owner."

July and Harry shook hands and she couldn't help the feeling of familiarity that Harry also gave her.

"So what can I do for you?" Harry asked turning back to Dom, but he simply turned to July, nodding at her.

"I need some parts. Here," July said, bringing out the list she had made. "The front is parts for a 1991 Toyota Soarer and on the back is a list for a 1968 Chevy Nova." She put the list on the counter. Harry picked it up and looked over it.

"Jesse's list?" Dom asked.

"Oh yeah." July pulled out the second list and put it out on the counter.

"This is Jesse's list for the Soarer," Dom said as Harry picked it up and read it.

"Sweetheart, these are going to cost a pretty penny, you sure you want them all?"

"Yup."

"Why don't you go look around, see if there is anything else you like while I talk to Harry?" Dom whispered into July's ear. She nodded at him and then turned and went exploring around the store.

"Now Harry, I consider you a great partner in business. Wouldn't want to mess that up now would we?" Harry nodded his head no. "So do you have the parts she needs or not?" Dom asked.

"I've got the general," Harry said typing on the computer. "Jesse's list is going to be a bit harder to get along with the parts for the Nova. I got all the general stuff she'll need like the fluids and coolant but the other specific parts, I don't have those, or anything on Jesse's list. I'll put the order in but they won't be here till Monday. That's the best I can do."

"Monday is good," July said, startling Dom and Harry.

"You sure?" Dom asked.

"Yeah, if we just get the general stuff for now that's fine. Plus Mike and I can come get everything on Monday when he comes."

Dom turned around to tell Harry to get the stuff when July's sentence sunk in. July drifted across the store as she caught sight of some rims she liked and was totally oblivious to Dom who was staring at her and mouthing the name 'Mike'.

"So you want the what I got in stock?" Harry asked again for clarification.

"Yeah and place the order for the other parts. I also need some parts too," Dom added and relayed what Vince had said Jesse needed.

"Want me to put that on your tab?"

"Sure," Dom said as July came back over to them. "Find anything you like?" Dom asked smiling.

"Oh yeah," she said grinning. "So how much do I owe you Harry?" Harry calculated the bill and July paid for it with her bankcard. Dom's curiosity went into overdrive as she paid the large bill without so much as a blink of an eye. Something was definitely up. Now way could this girl have that much money on her without being involved in something.

"Okay, I'll go get what you guys need and then you can either come in Monday and pick up the other parts or we can deliver them," Harry said giving her a list of her purchases.

"I'll be by Monday to pick them up. I want Mike to see this place," July said looking around. Mike would absolutely love it. Harry chuckled at July before disappearing into the back.

"So who is Mike?" Dom asked as they were left alone.

"Mike is my best friend. He's coming Monday," July answered absentmindedly, her eyes not leaving the display case she was studying.

"From Texas?"

The question caught July's attention and she turned to look at Dom. "Yes. He left this morning or at least I hope he did."

"He's going to be staying with you?"

"Yeah, he's my best friend, where else would he stay? Plus my house is big. I've got two guest rooms, and if I needed to I could make room for people to sleep in the basement or the attic. I have plenty of room, so there is no need for him to stay in a motel."

Dom didn't say anything. July got the feeling that he didn't like the fact that Mike was going to stay with her and she couldn't figure out why.

"What are you doing tonight?" Dom asked after a moment.

"Nothing. I'm not going to start on the cars yet because I promised Mike I would wait for him. Why? What's going on tonight?"

"Well, I figured if you weren't doing anything tonight you could come to races with me," he suggested as he leaned against the counter so he was closer to her face.

"Really?" July asked, hoping Dom wasn't messing with her.

"Yeah, I mean, if you want to race you need to get to know your competition."

"Sure," she replied without hesitation. "Sounds like fun."

"We always have a party afterwards at the house."

"Why is it always at your house?"

"Because this fool always wins," a voice said from behind them. They both turned to find a Hispanic guy standing there with a grin on his face.

"Hector," Dom said shaking his hand.

"Dom, and who is this gorgeous chica?" Hector asked turning toward July. July smiled and stuck out her hand.

"I'm July."

"Hector. Never seen you around before," he said shaking her hand, as he looked her up and down.

"I'm new here," July replied.

Before Hector could ask his next question, Harry interrupted him.

"Dom, it's all ready," he said, standing behind the counter again. "If you want to bring your car around the back so we can load it up."

"Sure," Dom said, nodding to Hector and walking towards the door.

"You going to races tonight?" Hector asked July as she started to follow Dom out the door.

"Yeah."

"Well I'll see ya there," Hector said with a wink.

July walked out the door, waving bye and got into Dom's car.

They pulled into the back of Harry's store and loaded up the stuff and then left. The ride home was filled with idle chatting which had lulled to silence by the time Dom had pulled into her drive way and shut off the car.

"Thanks for helping with the parts Dom," July said unbuckling her seatbelt.

"No problem," he replied.

They got out of the car and Dom opened the trunk while July opened the garage. They carried in the parts and set them on the workbench. Dom looked around and was impressed. The garage was spacious and July had almost every tool she would need. Then his gaze landed on the cars and he fell silent. The cars glistened with the light that was coming in through the door. Slowly, Dom circled the cars and analyzed them. July just watched as he trailed around and ran his hand over them.

"So what do you think?" she asked.

"They're nice," Dom answered, coming to stand next to her and look at the cars.

"Yeah, I can't wait till I get them running," July said just as her belly gave a loud rumble and she blushed slightly.

"You hungry?"

"Yeah, I didn't eat too much this morning," July admitted, looking down at the parts.

"Come on, let's go get lunch. I know this really good place."

July agreed and together they closed up the garage and got into Dom's car again.

---------------------------

tbc…


	22. Dropping by the Garage

**Chapter 21: Dropping by the Garage **

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They were only a couple blocks down from the house when Dom spoke up.

"We're going to stop at the garage first, I need to drop off those parts Jesse needs."

"Okay," July said.

Dom took the next left turn and again July paid attention to his driving. A couple minutes later, he pulled up to DT Automotive. Dom parked in his spot and started to get out. "Come on, I want you to see the place."

July got out of the car and offered to help Dom with the parts even though there weren't very many. Walking to the back entrance, they entered and found a greased stained group lounging around eating lunch. Everyone was there except Mia and Brian.

"Hey," everyone called out.

"Hey," Dom and July replied.

"Here are those parts Jesse," Dom said handing over the parts.

July thoughtlessly handed over her parts; she was too busy looking around. It was a good-sized garage. A couple of cars were in the garage with their hoods open. It was a lot different from Sam's shop back in Texas. There were more tools and some gadgets she didn't even know. Sam's shop had just been the town's general auto shop where people got their oil changed and parts fixed and the occasional engine job; it wasn't anything like this. Dom saw her looking around and smiled at the awe look on her face.

"Did you order all the ones I wrote down for you?" Jesse asked July, bring her attention back to the group.

"Yeah, Harry will have them by Monday."

"Sweet. Let me know if you have any questions about setting up any of the parts and when you're done, let me know and I'll come over and tweak it up a bit."

"Well, I know I'll need help on the turbo and whatnot, so when I get there, I'll let you know."

"So what are you two up to?" Vince asked taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Wouldn't you like to know," July teased, winking. Vince made a shocked faced and almost choked on his food, which caused everyone to laugh.

"We just went down and got parts with Harry and now we are going to lunch," Dom said once the laughter had died down.

"Did you ask her?" Vince asked.

"Ask me what?" July said turning around to face both of them with a raised eyebrow.

"Just if you wanted to go to races tonight," Dom replied offhandedly.

"Oh, yeah, I'm going," July said like it was nothing big but inside she was really nervous about the races. She had never been to one, she felt as if she was going to be that dumb girl standing there.

"Awesome, another girl, now you can help Mia and me gang up on the guys," Letty said grinning. She then came over to July. "So you really are going to race?" she asked as soon as the guys started talking.

"Yeah, Dom asked me to go."

"You've never been to one, have you?" she asked, even though she was already pretty sure of the answer she would get.

"No, I haven't," July admitted, opting for truth. She wasn't going to make a fool of herself with this group right off the bat by lying.

"Mia will probably be over to help you get ready tonight and I'll probably be dragged along," Letty replied.

"Cool," July said just as her stomach gave another loud rumble. "Guess I'm more hungry than I thought. Let's see if I can get Dom going." July then turned towards Dom. "Come on Dom, I'm hungry," July said pouting.

"Okay, let's go. We'll see you guys later," Dom said, starting out the door.

July grinned at Letty. Letty couldn't help but be a little jealous at how easily July got Dom to do something and how quickly he had reacted. Then she looked over and saw Leon talking to Jesse. As if knowing she was staring at him, Leon looked over at her and winked. She instantly felt better; Leon always knew when she needed him. She was with a great guy who would always be there for her. Letty laughed at the grin still plastered on July's face and waved her away.

"Remember, me and Mia will be over later tonight," Letty called after July.

"How could I forget? Bye guys," July said waving.

Everyone said their good byes and then July and Dom left the garage.

---------------------------

tbc…


	23. Lunch and Getting Ready for Races

**Chapter 22: Lunch and Getting Ready for Races **

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"So what did you think of the garage?" Dom asked July once they were speeding down the highway.

"It's a lot different from where I use to work," July said looking over at Dom. He had a pair of sunglasses on and his lips were curled into a small smile.

"Guess we are going to have to teach you a couple of things then," Dom said with a smirk, glancing over at her.

"Are you sure about tonight? I wouldn't want to be intruding," July questioned nibbling on her lip.

"No, don't worry about it. You're more than welcomed. Promise."

Dom then pulled up into the same little restaurant that him and Brian had gone to when they had first taken out the Supra. They went inside and got a side table looking over the beach. They ordered and their food was brought out to them. After a few minutes of eating in quiet, July looked up and found Dom watching her.

"What, do I got stuff on my face?"

"No. Can I ask you a question?" he asked solemnly.

"Shoot," July said taking another bite of her burger.

"What happened that made you leave Texas?" Dom saw July almost choke on the food in her mouth and regretted asking her the question, but he had to get her to tell him something. He got a gist of what probably happen by what Jesse had found but wanted to hear it from July's mouth. There was something there that was making her sad and he wanted to know what it was. Dom had always been the protector, so when this girl had came over, he had seen how lost she was. She put on a good front, but when Dom looked into her eyes, he could see something was making her sad.

"Dom…" July trailed off. She felt her good mood disappear and it was replaced by something sad and tired. She didn't know exactly what to tell him. How was she suppose to tell him what had happened? She slowly swallowed her bite of food and took a quick drink from her soda. July didn't want to tell him her story and then have him pity her; that was the last thing she wanted or needed. She looked up and saw him staring at her. He was expecting her to tell him something. "Dom, it's long and complicated," she finally replied with a sigh.

"You don't have to tell me everything, just something. I was just wondering why you were out here when you don't know anyone."

July looked away and looked out to the beach. People were out enjoying the nice day. Couples were walking down the beach and groups of friends were hanging out together. It all made July realize how true what Dom said was. She was all by herself in reality, save for Arnold and Charlotte; then again, they were nice and all but she really didn't know them.

"I found something big about me and my parents and I couldn't be around them anymore. It was all lies and crap, so I packed my stuff and left. End of story, sort of," July said running a fry through her ketchup. She looked up to see Dom nod his understanding and he continued to eat. July let out the breath she didn't even realize she had been holding and finished eating too.

"So how did you get the house then?" Dom asked puzzled.

July sighed deeply and then looked back at Dom. She realized he wasn't going to stop until he had his answers. She just couldn't take it anymore. July stood up, ran out of the restaurant, and headed out for the beach. Anywhere that was away from him.

Dom sat there shocked for about five seconds before he threw some money on the table and ran after July. He ran down the beach and found her perched on a large rock looking at the ocean. July heard Dom come closer and she sat there frozen. Neither said a word for a long time.

"I found out that I was adopted and had been lied to for the last ten years," July finally said in a raspy whisper and Dom had to step closer to hear her better. "Everything I knew was a lie. My real parents had died in an accident and they had left me everything, which includes the cars and the house.

"When I found out I was adopted, I left my adoptive parents, came to LA, found my parents' lawyer and got everything that was theirs. I would have left anyways, even if there wasn't anything for me out here. I couldn't live in a house that was all about lies and pretending. I trusted them completely and what did they do? They lied to me. Everything I thought was real was a lie." July finished with a silent, stray tear falling down her face. Speaking the words aloud to someone made the situation that much more real. Everything came crashing down on her at that moment and July felt herself break. It was as if she was glass and someone had taken a hammer to her and smashed her into a thousand pieces.

Dom felt his heart break as she started to cry. To find out everything you knew wasn't true had to be one of the hardest things. He knew losing one parent was bad, he couldn't imagine losing both and not knowing. He didn't know really what to do though. Mia was the only one he had ever had to comfort when she cried; Letty wouldn't allow him to comfort her when she was crying.

He carefully edged toward the rock and reached out his hand to rub circles on her back. Suddenly July launched herself into his arms and he quickly wrapped his arms around her. Sitting on the rock, he sat July in his lap and rocked her, murmuring what he hoped were words of comfort in her ear. He should feel weird comforting a stranger he only knew two days but he didn't. Somehow she felt right in his arms, like he was meant to protect her. July finally quieted down and only sniffled every now and then.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pull this on you," July said quietly.

"It's okay." Dom smooth back her hair.

"Now you probably think I'm some chick that's too emotional and cries when something goes wrong."

"Yeah. I'm going to leave you the first chance I get."

July looked up at him and saw the teasing glint in his eye.

"Not funny. Big jerk," she mumbled.

"Excuse me, what did you call me?" Dom asked.

"Umm, nothing," July said trying not to laugh but it was hard when Dom had the most offended look on his face. Dom grinned at her and before July knew what was happening, he started to tickle her. She tried to hold it in but ended up in a fit of giggles. "Uncle, I give," she finally managed to breath out.

"That's what I thought," Dom said smiling. "Now come on, let's get out of here. Wait, can I ask you one more question before we leave?" He saw the panicked look on her face and was quick to assure her. "It's not about any of this."

"Okay then, but then I get to ask you something," July replied getting up off his lap.

"What were you and Letty talking about?" he asked.

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know," July said laughing.

"Yeah, that's why I'm asking."

July rolled her eyes at him and started to walk backup the beach. "Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"Just wondering," Dom said walking beside her.

"We just talked about races and girl stuff."

"Girl stuff? Letty talk about girl stuff?" Dom said with an astonished look on his face. "The racing part I can believe, but girl stuff?"

"Hey, what's wrong with that?"

"It's just not something that Letty would talk about, or at least the Letty I know."

"Well then maybe you really don't know her," July said feeling the need to stick up for Letty. She didn't know the girl that long but she felt a kinship towards the other female mechanic.

Dom didn't say anything back to her; he was too busy thinking about maybe what July had said was true. Did Dom ever really get to know Letty? Maybe that's why they didn't work out. Dom sighed and followed closer to July. They both reached the car and got in. Dom drove back to their houses and parked in his drive way.

"So you still up for tonight?" he asked as he shut off the car.

"Yup. Wouldn't miss it," July said getting out of the car. Checking her watch she saw it was around four. "I'm going to head home. Thanks for everything Dom."

"You're welcome," Dom said.

"I'll see you tonight," July said and headed into her house.

Once July was inside, she headed up to her room. She knew she probably looked a mess from crying and took a quick shower. Dressing in some shorts and a tank top she went downstairs and played some video games to occupy herself.

Around seven, July made herself dinner. Once she had finished, she grabbed her cell phone and went out onto the back porch. Sitting herself on one of the wicker chairs, she watched the sun being to set, streaking the sky with vibrant pinks, oranges, purples, and yellows. Finally she picked up her phone and called Mike. On the third ring he picked up.

"Sup?" he answered.

"Sup? It's that anyway to answer a call? What happen to hello?" she asked mockingly.

"It's my phone so I get to answer it anyway I want."

"Whatever."

"Oh, you did not just whatever me! Wait 'til I get there and then you are going to get it!" Mike said jokingly.

"Yeah right," July shot back sarcastically. "So, where are you now?"

"About half way there. I'm going to drive for a couple more hours and then find somewhere to sleep. I don't know how you did this all by yourself," he yawned.

"Let's just say anger fuels you," July offered with a sigh.

"So did you ever end up calling your parents?" Mike asked after a pause.

"Yeah, I talked to Mary. It wasn't the greatest."

"I bet it wasn't. Are you okay though?"

"Yeah, I cut her off before she really could say anything, not that she didn't try. But let's forget about that, I don't want to talk about it."

"So what are you doing tonight?" Mike asked changing the subject.

July smiled. Mike always knew when to drop something and when to let it go. It would be good to see him. "I'm going to a street race," she finally answered, trying to put as much excitement into her voice as possible.

"Really? That's awesome, and have I mentioned how much I hate you?" he rushed on, and July could only imagine the glare he probably had on his face.

"Aww, I love you too Mikey," July cooed into the phone.

"Yeah, just don't get into trouble and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Well I guess that doesn't leave much for me not to do," she giggled back.

"Hey!" Mike cried, offended and July just laughed back at him. "Fine, be that way. Just have some fun tonight, okay?"

"I'll try."

The two said their goodbyes and July was left in silence again. She sat on the porch for a few more minutes before she heard the sound of the doorbell ringing. Going back into the house, she opened the door and standing there was an eager Mia and bored looking Letty.

"Hey," July greeted them. "Come on in."

"Wow, this is nice," Mia commented looking around.

"Yeah, it's not too shabby," Letty said sarcastically and July stuck her tongue out at her.

"So…" July trailed off.

"Like I told you girl, Mia wanted come over to help you get ready since you've never been to a race before," Letty said with a shrug.

"Yeah, I didn't want you to be all nervous not knowing what to wear," Mia said eyeing her outfit, obvious disapproval showing.

"This isn't what I am going to wear. I hadn't even thought about that. I'm more nervous about actually going," July admitted playing with the hem of her top.

"It's just a race," Letty said although Mia's expression said otherwise.

"Yeah, but you two already know people, I don't know anyone except you guys."

"Well come on, let's go to your room," Mia suggested.

The three girls headed up to July's room and began to raid her closet.

"Oh, I like this," Letty said holding up a red leather skirt.

"So what should I wear?" July asked looking at what Letty and Mia were wearing to give her an idea. Mia was wearing a pair of snug jeans and a lace camisole top. Letty was wearing a black leather skirt and a white mesh top that showed her black bra though it. She was sure she could find something that balanced between the two.

An hour later, after a lot of talking and laughter, July decided on a pair of tight black jeans that swayed low on her hips and a shimmering silver top that crisscrossed in the back. It stopped a couple inches above her jeans and was v-cut in the front. Letty picked out a pair of combat boots that had an inch heel on them and tossed them to July, even as Mia protested.

"Mia," July began, zipping up one boot, "I'm with Letty. I don't do high heels."

"Amen!" Letty said, flopping down on the bed.

Once July was dressed, Mia led her to the bathroom and started to work on her hair. Letty decided she had done enough and went downstairs to play video games at July's suggestion.

"Mia, can I ask you a question?" July asked as Mia began messing with her hair, and plugging in a curling iron. She gave a nod of consent. "Does Vince ever apologize?" July inquired, remembering how long it took Vince to apologize to her yesterday.

Mia gave a snort of laughter. "No, normally he doesn't, not unless he really made an ass of himself and even then him apologizing is rare. Why?" she asked back with a raised eyebrow.

"If I tell you, promise not to get mad?"

"Sure," Mia reassured with a smile.

July told her about how Vince had came over and asked her if she was a cop and how he took her outside to apologize to her when she went over for the picnic. By the time July had finished telling her story, Mia was laughing so hard she almost had tears in her eyes.

"Oh my god, I so would have loved to see Vince stand there like a little boy and apologize to a girl! Okay, I've got to breathe," Mia said taking deep breathes, trying to calm down.

"So you're not mad?"

"No, not now anyways. He apologized for it and it takes a lot for Vince to admit he's wrong. So consider yourself lucky to get any apology at all," Mia said finishing up July's hair, never noticing the small smile that crept on July's face.

"Are you finished yet?" July whined.

"Almost. There, done," Mia replied curling the last strand of hair. She had curled July's hair into wild ringlets and had pinned half of her hair up, leaving a couple strand loose around her face.

"Looks great. Thanks Mia," July said starting to leave.

"What are you talking about? We're not done yet. Get back here, I still got to do your make up!"

With a sigh July dragged herself back into the bathroom, where Mia began to do her make up.

"So what time does races start?" July asked, trying to keep still so Mia didn't mess up.

"Whenever Dom shows up. There are a couple races, we come home, have a party till three or four and then everyone leaves." Mia did one last sweep of eye shadow and then pronounced her done.

"Finally!" July exclaimed running out of the bathroom. There was only so much she could take. Pausing in her room, she put on a black onyx necklace and stuck her wallet in her back pocket. Pulling on a couple of jelly bracelets, she followed Mia out her bedroom and downstairs to find Letty.

"Well damn, it's about time," Letty said as they entered the living room.

"Mia held me hostage," July replied, holding her hands up and Mia rolled her eyes at her.

"Let's go over to our house, you can hangout with everyone," Letty said shutting off the video game and TV.

July grabbed her keys and they all shuffled out the door. July locked the house and then they made their way over to the Toretto's house.

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tbc…


	24. Races, Cops, and Party Oh My!

**Chapter 23: Races, Cops, and Party Oh My! **

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As the girls entered the house, there were a couple of whistles and shouts. They found everyone sprawled around the living room. Brian's eyes were on Mia, Leon's were on Letty and Dom and Vince had their eyes on July; Jesse was too busy playing Nintendo to pay attention. July couldn't stop the little smile that appeared on her lips from their appreciative looks. The guys were all dressed in jeans and had on either a wife beater or a regular shirt, or in the case of Leon, a jersey.

"You showed," Dom remarked standing up.

"Duh. I told you I was coming," July said smirking. "Why wouldn't I come?" she asked and Dom gave her a knowing look. July took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a sec. "Let's go talk somewhere," she suggested when she opened her eyes.

"Okay," Dom said and they headed into the kitchen while everyone looked after them.

"What was that all about?" Vince asked when they had left. Everyone shrugged and didn't say anything. Vince got up and made his way to the kitchen.

"V, don't," Mia warned. Vince signaled for her to be quiet and crept closer to the kitchen door.

"Look, what you know doesn't change anything. I don't want or need your pity. This is just something that I have to deal with," Vince heard July say. Vince had no clue what they were talking about but that didn't stop him from listening.

"It wasn't that," Dom said and Vince could just imagine Dom running a hand over his head. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Dom, I'm fine, trust me, please?" Dom must have nodded his head in agreement because the next thing Vince heard were footsteps coming towards the door. He leaped onto the couch and acted as if he hadn't been listening in.

Dom and July entered the living room to see everyone looking at Vince. Dom raised an eyebrow at Vince and he just shrugged.

"All right, let's get going. You can ride with me," Dom said looking at July.

"Sure," she agreed coolly, still a bit upset with Dom. She'd confided in him and if he kept things up, everyone would know and she wasn't ready for that yet.

They all went outside and got into their respective cars, Mia riding with Brian. Dom left first and everyone followed. The ride was quiet and July could do nothing to stop the butterflies that were in her tummy. Dom kept opening his mouth as if to say something and then shut it like he couldn't decide what to say.

Soon the team pulled up between the two warehouse buildings. There were cars and people everywhere. The crowd split apart to allow them through. Dom gunned the engine and then stopped the car. July stepped out of the car and everyone's eyes were on her.

The air was filled with music, exhaust, perfume and cologne. Girls were dressed in barely anything and cat walked between the different cars. Guys sat on their hoods and had girls milling around them. There was so much energy that July immediately felt alive, as if she were to extend her arm to the sky a bolt of lightning would connect them. Dom got out of the car and was immediately swarmed with racer chasers, July taking note at the ease at which he handled them.

"Those are the skanks," Letty growled in her ear, her voice laden with distaste, but July could tell it wasn't directed at her.

"I figured that much. Not wearing much are they?" July replied.

"They never do. I use to have to fight them off him with a stick," Letty said with a sneer.

"Off of Dom?"

Letty seemed taken aback by that before giving a smirk and resuming her cool, nonchalant persona. "Yeah, we were together for a couple of years. Things didn't work out between us though, so we decided we made better friends. Now I got me my boy and wouldn't have it any other way," Letty said looking over at Leon who talking with Jesse and Vince.

"So I see you made it tonight," a voice interrupted. July turned to find Hector.

"Yeah. Told you I would," she said, a smirk finding its way on her face.

Hector took a step closer to her, but then looked up as Dom whistled at him. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I got business to do but I'll see you tonight at the party," he more stated then asked, giving her a wink and brushing past her towards Dom.

"Looks like you caught his attention," Letty teased, smirking.

"Yeah, I guess so. Not sure if I want it though," she trailed off as she saw Hector and Dom pounded fists and a couple of other people July didn't know came forward. "Who are all of them?"

"Wannabe racers. They come to see if they can beat Dom but just end up losing their money," Letty said in a low tone as Dom started to talk.

"One race, two-G-buy-in, winner takes all," Dom said handing a wad of cash to Hector. A few other guys handed money to Hector and then left disappeared back into the crowd. Dom came over to July and she could feel everyone's eyes following their every move.

Dom caught her eye and rested a hand at the small of her back as he came up next to her. "I'm going to be racing, I want you to stick around with Vince just incase the cops show up, okay?"

July's eyes seem to widen a bit at the mention of cops but she didn't say anything. "Sure. See you at the finish line. Good luck," July said. Dom gave a chuckle and then pushed her in Vince's direction.

"Hey," Vince greeted noticing Dom motion to July as she came forward. Vince nodded back to him, understanding he was to look out for her.

"Hey."

"So what do you think?" Vince asked.

"It's something all right. I like it thought. So how does this all work?" July asked sitting on the hood of Vince's car.

Vince sat down next to her, leaning towards her. "Well Dom sets up a race, Leon mans the scanners and when he says we're clear, we race until we leave or until the cops break it up."

"So you think there are going to be cops tonight?" July asked looking around. She was a little nervous about the cops; she had never run from them before.

"I don't know, but don't worry, I'll take care of you," he replied with a wink. July felt a smidge of heat warm her cheeks but he let her off the hook with a laugh. "Come on, the race is about to start."

They both got into his car and headed down to the strip. As she joined the others on the sidelines of the spray painted starting line, July's eyes wondered around as she tried to take everything in. It seemed like it was over before it even started. The cars sat at the starting line revving their engines, and as soon as Hector dropped his arms, they were off leaving the smell of burnt rubber in their wake. July watched with wide eyes as Dom won the race. He had barely had the money he won in his hands when Leon yelled out, "WE GOT COPS!"

July panicked, she didn't know what to do; luckily, Vince grabbed her and headed over to his car. By the time they got to his car, July was frantic, the adrenaline pumping through her veins and made her pupils dilate. She got herself strapped into the car just as Vince peeled out. Sirens were blaring and the lights flashed red and blue. Vince tore down the street, whizzing in and out of traffic and then turned to get onto the highway going well over the speed limit.

After a couple of minutes, he doubled back to the house. Once he had the car parked, he shut it off and turned towards July. She sat still and was staring straight ahead.

"July, you okay?" Vince asked, reaching out a hand to touch her shoulder. Slowly July turned toward him with a smile on her face.

"That as awesome, can we do it again?" she asked grinning.

Vince laughed at her. "Oh boy, I have a feeling you are going to be a wild one."

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you very much," she replied with a haughty expression.

"Take it as whatever you want. Come on, let's go party. It looks like everyone made it," Vince said looking at the driveway. Everyone's car was parked and music was blasting from the house.

"Vince, do me a favor? Quit calling me July, call me JJ."

"Fine JJ, and you can call me V."

"Fine V," July said stressing his nickname the same way he had hers.

"You know, I never did get you back for saying I was a big baby," Vince reminded with a menacing look.

"That's because it's true," July said trying to look innocent.

"You are so going to get it. You just wait."

"Oh, I'm scared. I'm shaking in me boots captain!" July mocked, trying to keep a straight face.

"You better be. Now quit being a punk and let's go in," Vince said chuckling.

"V, you give up too easy."

"Not giving up, just waiting. I can be very patient you know."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself. Let's go, I'm starved."

They headed inside, Dom coming over to them as they did so.

"Hey, you okay?" Dom asked July.

"Yeah, I'm fine, V took care of me," July answered and patted Vince on the head. Vince turned and glared at her.

"Oh, well, just wanted to make sure you were okay, with the cops and all," Dom said, feeling at loss for words.

"She was more than okay, she wanted to do it again," Vince teased smirking and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. July opened her mouth wide as his double meaning sentence sunk in. Her shocked expression turned into a glare and Vince turned and ran.

"Yeah you better run monkey boy, you are so dead," July yelled running after him.

"Hey who you calling monkey boy?" Vince asked stopping dead in his tracks.

"You of course," July said as she threw herself at him. Everyone laughed as she managed to pin him in the middle of the living room. "What to do with you?" she contemplated aloud.

"Well I could think of one fun thing," Vince said with a leer.

"Perv!"

Vince laughed and July could feel his muscular chest shake with his laughter.

"I'm not a perv, I'm just a guy."

July rolled her eyes at him and Vince laughed.

"Hey Letty?" July called out.

"Yeah girl?" Letty said coming over and trying not to laugh too much.

"Do you think you could get me a razor and some shaving cream?"

Vince froze as the words flew out of her mouth. "You wouldn't," Vince murmured, squinting his eyes at her.

"See, that's were you're wrong," July replied, laughing.

"Not the beard," Vince said pulling his hands free and covering his face. Everyone who was watching was laughing, even Dom.

"Why not, I think there is a face underneath all that hair," July teased. Vince growled at her and glared some more. "Fine, since I'm feeling nice," she drawled, Vince raised an eyebrow at that, "I won't touch the beard, but what to do with you monkey boy?" Vince growled once again at her. "With all this growling someone might think you're a dog, so maybe I should be calling you dog boy?"

Vince decided he had let her have enough fun and flipped her over and started to tickle her. "See this is what happens when you call people names."

"V, I give, I give," July gasped, trying to breath as Vince let up. "Oh man, I don't think I could walk, my sides hurt too much," she groaned, rubbing her sides.

"Fine." Vince picked her up and set her on the couch.

"Thanks."

"You thirsty? I'm going to go get a drink."

"Yeah, a coke is good."

Vince turned around and went into the kitchen, July shaking her head after him. Leon came over and plopped down in the next chair over.

"Girl, I've got to give you props, no one had ever done that to V before," he said.

"Oh man, we need to keep you around for a laugh or two. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard in my life," Letty added, sitting down on Leon's lap as he curled an arm around her waist.

Vince came back holding a Corona for himself and a soda for July and a bag of chips. He sat on the couch looking around. Mia and Brian were dancing, Jesse was playing a video game, and Dom was talking to some guys while a couple of chicks stood behind him.

"Well, see you guys later," Letty said getting up and pulling Leon with her. They disappeared into the kitchen. Vince smiled a knowing look and then he opened the bag of chips and dug in.

"V?"

"Hmm?"

"You gonna share?" July asked.

"Nuh huh," Vince answered still chewing.

"Please?" July begged with a pout and fluttered her eyes at him. Vince sighed and turned the bag towards her. "Thanks V," July said grabbing a handful and munching away. "Told ya you give up too easy."

Vince glared at her. "Do you want me to take those away?" he asked, eyeing her handful of chips. July shook her head no and stuck more chips in her mouth. "That's what I thought so you better be nice or you ain't gonna get any more. Ungrateful, immature punk," Vince mumbled and July laughed.

July and Vince sat for a while talking and getting to know each other better and found out they had a lot in common. Dom had been watching them out of the corner of his eye since they had sat down but they were oblivious to him. Dom couldn't help but feel a little jealous at how good Vince was getting along with July. They had been talking nonstop, teasing and bantering back and forth. Not to mention what happened earlier.

Dom sighed and looked up. Some chick wearing cheap perfume was talking to him; he had no clue what she was talking about. He just couldn't take it anymore.

"Look you're probably a nice girl and all, but I'm not interested," Dom said stopping her mid sentence. She glared at him and then walked away flipping her hair. Dom sighed again and cradled his head in his hands. Vince took notice of Dom's down look and called him over.

"Yo Dom, come and sit with us."

Dom looked up to see July and Vince looking over at him. He got up and sat with them.

"What's up?" July asked, all thoughts of being mad at him forgotten.

"Just tired," Dom said honestly.

"Well then go to bed. There aren't very many people left anyways," Vince said looking around. It was true. It was almost three and most people had already left.

"Yeah, we'll clean up," July added.

"If you're sure?"

"Yeah, now go to bed."

Dom got up and before he made it to the stairs July tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and July gave him a hug. Dom held her tight and took a deep breath in, savoring her smell. She smelled like vanilla and strawberries.

"Thanks for today," she whispered in his ear.

"You're welcome," Dom said, reluctantly letting her go.

"Now go to bed," July said pushing Dom towards the stairs.

"Night," Dom said as he climbed the stairs.

"Night," July and Vince replied as Dom disappeared from view.

"Alright everyone, party's over. No one better be drinking and driving. If you don't have a ride, there's the phone and call yourself a cab," Vince said pointing to the wall where the phone hung. Slowly everyone shuffled out the door and once the last person was gone, Vince shut it.

"Do you guys need help cleaning?" Mia asked yawning.

"No, you two go on, we'll clean," Vince said.

"Thanks V," Mia said, and then she and Brian said night as they made their way upstairs together.

"Jesse, earth to Jesse," July called as she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

Jesse looked up startled. "What? Oh hey July."

"Hey Jesse. You should get to bed, everyone is gone."

Jesse looked around with a surprised look on his face. "Would ya believe that? They all left, and I never noticed." Jesse let out a big yawn and got up stretching. "Guess I'm going to go to bed. Night guys."

"Night Jess," July said as he left into the kitchen.

"So you ready for cleaning?"

"Don't try to sound so enthusiastic V, you might hurt yourself."

"Hey, you're the one who said we would clean, I never signed up," Vince said going into the kitchen and returning with two garbage bags.

"Yeah, but you're going to help me anyways aren't you?"

"Looks like it. I wouldn't want to get tackled by She-Man again."

"Hey, you take that back! I am not a She-Man," July said. Vince laughed at her standing there trying to be intimidating with her hands on her hips and her chin tilted up. He guessed he shouldn't have laughed because the next thing he knew, he was tackled and pinned to the ground again. "Take it back," she demanded.

"Nope," Vince said defiantly.

July sat up on his chest and looked down at him. "You know, I've tried to be nice all evening and what do I get? I get called names," she rambled on.

Vince took this as his opening as July released his wrists. Immediately, he flipped her again so he was pinning her. "You know, you're not so good at staying on top," Vince commented, straddling her, careful not to lay his full weight on her.

"Oh yeah and what are you going to do about it?" July asked, suddenly very aware of how close they were.

"This," Vince said and slowly lowered himself further until their lips brushed.

---------------------------

tbc…


	25. The Solution and Car Dreaming

**Chapter 24: The Solution and Car Dreaming**

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July felt her breath catch in her throat as Vince kissed her. Even more slowly, he brushed his lips against hers again and kissed her. July felt like she was on fire. She closed her eyes and kissed him back, but then reality hit.

"Vince," she murmured against his lips.

"Hmm?"

"Stop. We have to stop," July said opening her eyes, pushing her hands against his chest.

"Huh?" Vince said looking down at her confused.

"Don't get me wrong, it was nice, but I can't do this. I'm sorry," she added when she saw the hurt look on his face.

"You confuse me," Vince mumbled, still resting on top of her.

"Well, I'm a confusing person. Even I'm confused half the time. I like you Vince, but I don't know about this yet. I'm sorry," she apologized looking away. "It just, everything else in my life is messed up, I don't want to add to the mix yet."

"Hey." Vince tilted her chin up to look in her eyes. "I understand. I think," Vince said scratching his head.

July gave him a tentative smile. "Okay monkey boy, off. We still have to clean," July commanded, pushing at his chest with more effort. Vince reluctantly stood up and then helped her up.

"You better watch it with the monkey boy's or I'm going to really have to get my revenge."

"Ha! What do you want me to call you, Vincent?" July suggested, slowly backing away as Vince glared at her. "Oh I know! I can call you Vinnie!" July cried out, running away.

"Now you're really going to get it!" Vince said, running after her.

"Truce?" July asked sticking her hand out as Vince cornered her.

"Truce," Vince agreed. As he shook her hand, he pulled her towards him and began to tickle her.

"V! You cheater! You said truce."

"I had my fingers crossed."

"Okay, I give," July conceded, trying to breath.

"Really?"

"Really really," July said nodding.

"Okay, but no more Vinnie," Vince ordered with disgust and shook his head in distaste.

"Why? Is it because it rhymes with mini and you don't want us to think something?" she asked, trying her hardest to make her face stay innocent looking.

"You better be glad we called a truce," Vince growled.

"What about monkey boy?"

"Just watch it. I'm going to have to figure out one for you then," Vince replied starting to clean up.

"Go for it. Don't bug me," July replied with a wink, starting to clean up too.

Half an hour later they had finished and were taking the trash out back.

"Man, I'm so glad I don't have parties at my house," July commented sticking the last of the beer bottles in the recycling while Vince put the trash away.

"Yeah, well, normally I'm not the one cleaning up," Vince replied gruffly.

"Well you should be. You guys are the ones who made the mess." July sat down at the picnic table and tilted her head back. The moon hung high in the sky and it illuminated July's shirt, making it shimmer. Vince sat down next to her. A gently breeze was blowing and it blew back the hair from July's face, cooling her down.

"So what do you think of LA?" Vince asked, leaning his head back too.

"It's different, but a good different," July answered in a sleepy voice.

"Come on, let's get you home before you fall asleep," Vince said getting up.

"Fine, make me all uncomfy," July pouted.

"I'll walk you over."

"Keys, keys," July mumbled as she searched her pockets once they arrived at her door. She found her keys and unlocked the door with a click.

"Night," Vince said.

"Night," July replied, disappearing into the house and closing the door.

Vince turned and walked back to the house humming under his breath. He was a little bummed that she stopped him from kissing her more but at least she hadn't pushed him away in disgust. He was definitely going to take this slow. July was such a firecracker.

_Firecracker, what a perfect name for her,_ he thought with a wry smile. Vince went to bed thinking maybe for once, he would get the girl after all.

---------------------------

July woke up the next morning from blissful dreams of fast cars and racing. She immediately got up and sat at her desk. Grabbing a couple pieces of paper and a box of colored pencils she found in a drawer, she began to sketch different design ideas she had dreamed, her hand moving with precision.

Of the designs, there were three in total. There was a deep, dark metallic purple car that had a fairy painted on the hood, a silver car that had a ghost like horse faded down on the side, and finally a midnight blue car that had an exploding firework on the hood and a sketch of the back of the car showed the word "Firecracker" written so that it looked like a lighted fuse.

July spent most of the morning working on the designs. Finally she put the pencils down and rubbed her eyes. As soon as she stopped drawing the world came back to her. When she was drawing, everything else faded away and she was lost in her own little world. The house could have fallen down around her and she would have never noticed, but now that she had stopped, her brain began to work again.

There was so much to think about: the cars, Mike, her parents, Vince, Dom. The cars and Mike she wasn't too worried about. The matter of her parents she wasn't even going to touch on. There was still too much confusion and hurt, and anger.

She was really confused with Dom and Vince though. She liked both of them and then last night Vince had kissed her. She brought her hand to her lips as she remembered Vince's lips on hers. A smile appeared on her face and she couldn't help the feeling of euphoria; but then there was Dom. He had been really nice yesterday and July could vividly remember the feeling of his arms around her making her feel safe.

Resigning to the fact that she wasn't going to be able to figure out anything at the moment, she got up and headed downstairs to the kitchen to get something to eat. Maybe that would help. As she made herself a cup of coffee, she saw the answering machine was blinking. Pressing the button, the automated voice of the machine began to talk.

"You have one new message. Message one," it began and then Charlotte's voice took over, "Hello July, it's Charlotte. I was just calling to remind you about dinner tonight, just incase you forgot, and Arnold will be over to pick you up at three instead of two. Call us if you can't make it. If you don't call, we'll take that as a sign that you are still coming. Hope you're having fun. See you tonight! End of messages," the machine finished.

After stirring milk and sugar into her coffee and grabbing a muffin, she opened the doubled French door that lead to the porch and went outside. She sat on the railing and sipped her coffee. She had completely forgotten about the dinner invite but she wasn't going to call to tell them she couldn't go; she needed to go. She was curious to meet Amy, her former best friend. It still baffled her that she couldn't and didn't remember anything about her.

_Well, if you don't even remember anything about your own parents, how do you expect to remember anything about your old best friend?_ she asked herself.

July picked at her muffin and drank her coffee. Crumbling the remains of her food, she tossed them out into the yard and watched as the birds came flocking to peck at it. She was so lost in thought that she never heard Letty and Mia approach.

"Hello? Is there anybody in there?" Letty asked knocking on her forehead, startling July.

"Whoa! Where did you two come from?"

"Well, I came from my mother and Letty came from her mom. You see, when a man loves a women…" Mia began.

"Oh shut up. You know what I meant," July said rolling her eyes while she smirked.

"We came from the front. We knocked but you didn't answer so we came around back to see if we could find you."

"So whatcha doing out here?" Letty asked sitting on the railing next to July.

"Just thinking."

"Sounds exciting," Letty replied with fake enthusiasm.

"Oh, it's a riot."

"So what are you doing today?" Mia asked, leaning against one of the support beams.

"I'm being picked up at three to go to dinner and meet an old friend."

"Cool."

"Well I know something you might be interested in," Letty taunted with an evil grin.

"What?" July and Mia asked at the same time.

"Let's just say I saw someone," Letty looked pointedly at July, "kissing a certain person who goes by the name of Vince."

"What? When?" Mia exclaimed, her mouth hanging open.

"Last night, when we were cleaning up," July admitted, a faint blush tinting her cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't hear me, I was laughing so hard. I thought I was going to die because I couldn't breathe, especially that whole 'Vinnie' thing," Letty said and she and July began to laugh.

"What? I'm lost," Mia mumbled looking utterly confused. Both July and Letty looked at her and busted up laughing again.

"Well, you see, July and Vince were still having their flirt session when July suggested calling V 'Vinnie', and you can imagine what happened. So Vince attacked, July gave up and when V said no more calling him 'Vinnie', July said… She said…" Letty trailed off, starting to laugh.

"She said what?" Mia prompted, desperate with the need to know what was so funny.

July took a breath. "I told Vince, 'Why? Is it because Vinnie rhymes with mini and you don't want us to get the wrong idea about something'," July finished saying as they all broke into laughter. They ended up sitting on the ground with tears rolling down their faces from laughing so much.

"Okay, that one was good," Mia remarked, finally gaining some composure but as they looked at each other, they ended up laughing again.

"Oh man, I swear I've lost weight from laughing so much," Letty said.

"Me too," Mia agreed.

"Ditto," July added.

"So you and Vince huh?" Mia asked once they had finally settled down.

"I don't know. I like him but I just don't know yet. So what are you guys doing today?" she asked wiping the tears from her eyes, the quick topic change not going unnoticed by the other two.

"We don't know yet. We were going to see if you wanted to do something but you're going to dinner. We'll probably go see what the guys want to do," Mia replied, getting up and helping the other two get up.

"We can do something until I leave, I still have a couple hours."

The trio left the porch and went into the kitchen, July shutting the doors behind her.

"You guys can eat something or watch TV while I take a shower," July said gesturing to the fridge and the living room. " Or you can hang out in my room."

"I want to finish looking through your clothes," Mia said while Letty made a face behind her back.

"You can go through my CD Let," July suggested. They all headed upstairs after Letty grabbed some food. As soon as they entered the room, Letty flopped on the bed and Mia sat at the desk.

"Man, your bed is comfy," Letty commented, making herself comfortable.

July nodded in agreement, as she opened her dresser and grabbed some clothes. "Don't break anything," July teased, disappearing into the bathroom.

"Don't break anything," Letty mocked. "Do I look like someone who would break something?"

"Yup," Mia deadpanned, going into July's closet.

"Whatever," Letty mumbled munching away on her food. Once she was done, she threw away the remnants of her food in the trash and she sat at July's desk, flipping through her CDs when something purple caught her eyes. Lifting up the paper she saw the design she assumed July had drawn. It was excellent. "Hey Mia, come check this out," Letty called out, never taking her eyes off the paper.

"What?" Mia asked coming over. "Oh wow. That's good," Mia said looking at the drawing. It was the purple car with the fairy drawn on the hood. July had used a lighter purple and silver mix to make it look like fairy dust was floating down the sides.

"Hey look there's more." Letty picked up the next paper that had the silver car with the galloping ghost pony on the side.

"I like that one."

"There's one more," Letty said reaching for the last paper on the desk. As her hand almost reached it July's voice startled them.

"What are you guys doing?" she demanded, hurrying over and snatching the drawings from Letty and lifting up the last one and hiding it between the other two.

"We were just looking at your drawing. They're really good," Mia explained, stunned at July's reaction.

"Thanks but if I wanted you to see them I would have shown you." July snapped feeling protective of the last drawing. She pulled it out and tucked it into one of the drawers. She passed the other two back to Letty. "You two can look at these but please don't look at the other one," July said softer, feeling guilty for the way she had snapped at them.

Letty and Mia both had bewildered looks on their faces from July's strange behavior but didn't say anything.

"Like I said, they're really good," Mia repeated looking closer at the drawings.

"Thanks," July replied offhandedly, feeling awkward.

"What's up with you being so protective of the last one?" Letty asked attitude in place.

"It's just something more personal. Sorry for snapping," July said looked at her sock clad feet.

Letty reined back her attitude when she saw the demeanor change in July and decided to go easy on her. Something about this girl made her want to protect her. She couldn't say what it was but when she had a feeling like this, she was hardly ever wrong. "Alright but when your ready, you remember to show us."

"I will," July promised, smiling.

"We should show these to the guys, especially Jesse."

"If you want. I don't care," July said sitting on her bed and putting her shoes on.

"Come on, let's go see if everyone is awake," Mia prompted.

---------------------------

tbc…


	26. Showing the Drawings

**Chapter 25: Showing the Drawings**

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At the team's house, Jesse and Leon were eating cereal while they played video games in the living room while Dom, Vince, and Brian were sitting at the kitchen table talking. The girls came in the back door, the guys quieting instantly.

"Wow, we really know how to silence a room," July commented, looking at Letty and Mia.

"Makes you wonder what they were talking about," Mia side whispered to July and Letty as if the guys couldn't hear her.

"Think we should interrogate?" Letty asked looking at the guys.

"Maybe," Mia said going over and sitting next to Brian. "So…"

"Hi," said Brian.

"So what are you guys up to?"

"Just talking about cars and stuff," he said. Mia knew he was telling half the truth; he couldn't lie to her now, not after what happened with the trucks and the undercover stuff.

"I see," she said nodding and looking from Dom to Vince to see if their faces revealed anything, but as usual Dom's faces was unexpressive but she caught him looking at July out of the corner of his eye. Vince didn't seem to care much about being covert and had his eyes fully on July.

"Thanks for helping clean last night," Dom said to July.

"No problem. It wasn't that bad," she replied, sharing a smile with Vince.

"So, what are you ladies up to today?" Vince asked.

"We're hanging out 'til July has to leave," Letty said.

"Leave?" Dom asked.

"Yeah, I'm going over to a old friend's house for dinner."

"Oh, so what are you doing 'til then?"

"No clue. We haven't figure that out yet," July answered.

"Yeah, we just came over here to show you these," Letty said, leaning over Dom to put the drawings on the table in front of him. Her arm rubbed against his and she unconsciously pulled her arm back slower, prolonging the contact. She immediately felt guilty at feeling pleasure from touching Dom when Leon came into the kitchen. Once he spotted her, he came over to her, wrapping an arm around her waist, and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.

"These are good," Dom commented, passing the drawings to Vince.

"First one's too girly for me but I like the second one," he said passing them to Brian.

"But V, I made that one especially for you. I know how you love purple," July said teasingly and Vince just gave her a look like "you better watch yourself."

"Do you think you could ever really paint these?" Brian asked scrutinizing the papers.

"Of course. I'd have to buy a good airbrush but I could do it. I've done others back home. None like those but I've done a couple custom paint jobs. Why?"

"It's just they are really detailed. I don't know if I know anyone who would be able to do these."

"Well now you do," July replied, slightly offended that Brian didn't believe her, but then again, Brian didn't know her.

"Let me see those," Leon demanded, taking them from Brian. "Wish I could draw like that," he said looking at July with envy.

"You could if you really wanted to. How about we make a deal. You help me master how to drive stick left handed and I'll teach you how to draw," she offered, sticking out her hand.

"Deal," he agreed, shaking her hand. "Jesse should see these. He's going to be chewing your ear off afterwards talking about different styles and whatnot. Jesse!"

"What?" Jesse asked coming into the kitchen and putting his bowl in the sink.

"Check it," Leon said holding out July's drawings.

He eagerly snatched them up, his eyes scanning over them. "These are good. Who did them?"

"I did," July said, waving her hand.

"Where did you learn to draw like this?" he asked curiously.

"Practice and took a lot of art classes and programs, including one on car painting. Learned a lot from that one. There were a couple guys at the shop that taught me a thing or two too, but I've always been okay at drawing."

"Come on, I have to show you some of my stuff downstairs," Jesse said starting to go down to the basement. July looked at everyone to find them smiling. Mia told her to go on, that they could do something later that week. She shrugged her shoulders at them and started to walk downstairs.

"Do you think that was to greatest idea? She is going to be down there a long time," Letty asked Mia.

"Yeah, but don't you realize that's the first time since the accident that Jesse has immediately taken to someone? Ever since, he's always been distant with people and this is the first time in six months he hasn't. Maybe she'll help him be the Jesse he was before," Mia said and everyone nodded their head gravely, each feeling their own guilt about Jesse.

---------------------------

Downstairs, July followed Jesse to a room towards the end of the hall and into what appeared to be his room. The room was cool and held the lingering smell of cigarette smoke. There was a bed and a dresser and various magazines were scattered on the floor. In the corner of the room was a desk that was overloaded with computer stuff. Jesse sat an extra chair at the computer and told her to sit down. He turned on the computer and a few minutes later had a car up on the screen.

"This is your basic 1991 Toyota Soarer and this is what we are going to do to it," Jesse started. He spent the next hour explaining everything he had told her to buy and how it was going to help her out. Then he showed her all the different car designs he had, including the ones he had for the team. He blew her mind on how much he knew and it finally made sense why they called him their 'Mad Scientist'. By the time she checked her watch again she saw it was a half past two.

"Crap, Jesse, I've got to go."

"Oh," he said sounding disappointed.

"Thanks for showing me everything. I'll have to get myself a computer so you can show me how to do all that."

"Sure," Jesse immediately agreed.

"Well, I'll see you later," July said walking out of his room.

"Bye," Jesse called after her as she walked out the door. July made her way back upstairs and found Mia in the kitchen and they said hello to each other.

"Man, Jesse's a smart one. Even I learned a thing or two," July said with a smirk on her face.

"Yeah, Jesse's something," Mia agreed with a slightly maternal look on her face.

"Well, I better get going. I want to change before I go," July said opening the back door.

"Okay. Hey, why don't you stop down at the store tomorrow for lunch, we can hang out? It's usually pretty slow."

"Sure. I'll see ya tomorrow!" July closed the screen door behind her. She waved at Mia through the kitchen window and headed over to her house. She went up to her room and changed into a sky blue tank top that accented her eyes and a pair of black pants. She pulled back her hair into a high ponytail but she didn't put on any makeup.

She thought about dressing more fancy but decided against it. She wasn't going to present a false impression of herself. There had been enough lies in her life already and she wasn't about to start doing it herself. Soon enough the doorbell was ringing. She smoothed out her shirt and headed downstairs. She opened to door to find Arnold.

"Hello July. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure, do you want me to follow you, that way you don't have to drive me back tonight?" July asked trying to be courteous.

"Oh no, don't worry about that," Arnold said smiling.

"You sure?" July asked closing the front door and locking it.

"Positive, now let's go before Charlotte starts calling and asking why we're late."

---------------------------

tbc…


	27. Dinner

**Chapter 26: Dinner**

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The ride to the Lewis' house was rather long, a good half an hour. It was filled with long silences and some small talk. They ended up in the ritzy area of LA, where the big mansion homes began to appear. Arnold parked in the large driveway of a three story white house. The bright green lawn was trimmed and an assortment of colored flowers dotted the sides of the walkway to the front door.

"Here we are," Arnold said as they got out of the car.

"It's big," July mumbled, feeling intimidated by the size of the house, which seemed to dwarf her own home.

Arnold chuckled at her and the look on her face. "This is nothing compared to some of the houses further down."

They made their way up the front and the door opened before they even reached it. Standing there was a short, slight plump looking woman, who had a grandmother feel to her. Laugh lines were etched into the russet skin of her face. She looked slightly older than Arnold and wore a warm smile on her face.

"Good evening Arnold," the woman said taking the coat Arnold shrugged off. There was a hint of a Spanish accent in her voice and July was shocked to remember hearing that voice whispering in the back of her mind.

"Evening Miriam," he replied as she reappeared from putting his coat away.

Miriam then caught sight of July, who was lingering behind Arnold not sure what to do. Miriam's eyes widened, her hand flapping at her mouth. "Oh my goodness, is this who I think it is?" she asked, her eyes shining with hope.

"Why yes it is. July, I'd like you to meet Miriam, she use to be your nanny, we employed her after the accident."

July stood there looking at the lady not sure who she was and desperately trying to put the name and face together and the whispering voice at the back of her mind.

"My July, you have grown so much," Miriam cried, enveloping July into a hug, not noticing the bewildered look on her face.

Suddenly, imagines came to July, invading her mind. Memories were corrected and other's came to the surface, refreshing emotions. July closed her eyes and allowed everything about Miriam to come back to her; images of a little girl and a younger looking Miriam playing together, bandaging her scrapes, teaching her how to tie her shoes, helping her with her homework. As July remembered everything about Miriam, she couldn't stop the tears that came to her own eyes.

"I remember you, Miri," July murmured into Miriam's ear and returned the hug, the other woman's cries doubling as July used the shorten version of her name that only she had ever used. Arnold politely left to give them a bit of privacy.

"I'm so glad you're here now. You're home now," Miriam mumbled, her accent falling heavy. July instantly felt the spark of connection between them and felt like a tiny piece of the puzzle had been put into place. Miriam reluctantly let July go, wiping the tears from her face. "I don't think I have ever cried tears of joy until now," she commented, chuckling.

"Me neither," July said drying her face too.

"Come, let's go see where everyone is." Miriam looped her arm into July's. July moved closer to Miriam, tightening her grip slightly as if to assure herself that Miriam was real and wasn't going anywhere. The connection between them was as if it had always there and to July, it felt as if she had gained back her aunt.

Miriam led her thought the elaborate hall into a very large dinning room. It could have easily seated twenty or more people but Miriam didn't stop there. She continued into the next room that was much smaller and had a table that sat six, the table already set for dinner that evening.

"This is where we will be eating," Miriam said and then led July through another door that lead into the kitchen. Charlotte was busy bustling around the kitchen, making food, while Arnold stood to the side.

"Oh hello dear. How are you?" Charlotte asked giving July a quick hug and then turning back to stir something on the stove.

"I'm doing good, how about you?"

"Great. As you can see Amy isn't down yet, but she should be shortly."

"So," Miriam began as she started to help Charlotte, "Arnold told me you're living in the house already, yes?"

July nodded. "Yeah, I haven't done all the exploring yet. I'm still trying to get settled."

"Arnold, why don't you show July around the house while Miriam and I finishing cooking?" Charlotte suggested.

"Sure. Shall we?" Arnold prompted, waving his hand to the kitchen door.

July smiled and nodded her head and then exited the kitchen with Arnold on her heels. He gave her a brief tour of the house, smiling an amused smile when July gasped aloud at something that had impressed her. July found the house very large; it was easily two, or even three times the size of her house.

Off in the distance a phone rang and then stopped. July was startled when Charlotte's voice came from the intercom at the end of the hall. Arnold walked down the hall and pressed a button.

"Yes dear?"

"The phone call is for you," Charlotte's voice said through the intercom.

"Alright, I'll take it in my office." Arnold pressed another button and then turned back to July. "I've going to take this call. Feel free to look around. I'll meet you back down in the kitchen when I am done," he said sweeping past her and disappearing around the corner.

July found herself left all alone in the middle of the hall. She wasn't alone for more than two seconds when she heard a door open and footsteps approach. A girl came into view as she rounded the corner. She was wearing a pair of jeans and an off the shoulder white shirt. Her flaming red hair fell in waves, barely brushing past her shoulders. Her brown eyes were regarding July with curiosity and as Amy stepped forward, July could make out the light layer of freckles on her face.

July felt extremely weird. It was as if she was seeing Amy for the first time but not--which, logically was true but strange nonetheless. July stood up straight but noticed that Amy had her by an inch or two. July stood still and waited for Amy to do something.

Amy was at a loss. This girl she had been missing forever was standing right in front of her and she didn't know what to do. July looked a little different than the last time Amy had seen her. Her hair was really long, half way down her back and was black as ever. Her sky blue eyes still was the same but there was something hidden within them that made them different; maybe it was finding out the truth about everything. So many times Amy had wanted to call her and talk to her but couldn't and now that July was standing in front of her, she was dumbfounded. She tentatively took a step forward not wanting to scare July.

"Hi," she greeted with a smile.

"Hi," July said feeling uneasy.

"I'm Amy," Amy introduced herself, sticking out her hand.

"July."

And as July shook her Amy's hand, her world went black.

---------------------------

It was as she was walking through a fog. Finally, the fog cleared and then July saw it: the memories. They came, showing themselves like a movie: scenes of her and Amy growing up and playing. She stood and watched herself grow before her own eyes. It was like she was experiencing them but at the same time she was watching them. It was a very confusing experience. The memories were just of her and Amy but a boy would show up every once in a while and she assumed it was Amy's brother, Max. Slowly the images began to slow and fade, leaving her in the fog again.

Everyone surrounded July as her eyelids slowly fluttered open. She found herself laying on the floor in the hall, Charlotte and Miriam huddled close to her.

"Are you all right?" Miriam and Charlotte asked at the same time and then shared a maternal look with each other before looking back at July.

"Yeah, I'm okay," July replied, sitting up and rubbing her head, which now had formed a headache.

"Did the same thing happen with Amy, like back at the office?" Arnold asked.

July glanced up at him and nodded, the pain too much for her to do much else at the moment. Slowly it started to subside and she found she had enough strength to stand up.

"Let's go down stairs and sit you down at the table. Dinner is about ready," Charlotte suggested. Charlotte and Miriam each hooked an arm around July and helped her down the stair and into the dinning room, with Amy and Arnold trailing behind them. July settled herself down into a chair as soon as they made it to the dinning room.

"You sure you're okay?" Miriam asked again, noticing July's still pale face.

"I'm fine. I think my brain's just a little overloaded at the moment," July answered, pressing a palm to her temple. Miriam fretted over her a moment longer before disappearing into the kitchen after Arnold and Charlotte, leaving Amy standing by the door.

"Sorry," she whispered quietly.

"Huh?" July asked turning towards her, confused about what she was apologizing about.

"Sorry about making you faint," Amy clarified, coming forward.

"Don't worry about it. It was actually a good thing."

"How was it a good thing?" Amy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"When I fainted, I remembered everything about you. It was like I was watching a movie about us, but it was really just my memories that I was finally able to remember," July said not exactly knowing the words to explain what had happened but tried her best.

"So you remember me now?" Amy asked coming closer.

"Yeah Fuse," July replied, using Amy's nickname that she remembered. Since everyone called July "Firecracker", they called Amy "Fuse".

Amy broke out with a smile on her face and sat down across the table from July, a nostalgic smile on her face. "Man, it's been forever since anyone has called me that."

"Why's that?" July asked and Amy's faced darkened.

"After you left, no one called me "Fuse" anymore, it just didn't seem right with you not here," she explained with a grim smile.

They sat in silence for a second until Amy spoke back up. "Do you remember what we use to call Max?"

July thought for a moment before her own grin broke out on her face. "Match," July answered laughing lightly.

"Yup, and you remember why?" Amy continued, her smile growing even larger to show the front of straight, white teeth.

"Because your brother would do or say something to make us mad, so everyone called him "Match" because he would set us off," July said, recalling the vague memory of Max saying something to the two of them and then they would get mad and chase after him. The two of them spent the next few minutes reminiscing until the door to the dining room opened and a guy came in. Amy was instantly upon him, hugging him.

"Okay, give me room to breathe here why don't ya?" he grumbled, releasing Amy.

They chatted for a few seconds and July felt some envy at the sibling bantering between the two of them. They kept talking until the guy caught sight of July. "Hey, she's already here," Max commented, coming towards July.

July stood up and evaluated Max. He was quiet a few inches taller than her. His brown hair was shaggy and his green eyes were a sparkly emerald color. She could see the features that him and his sister shared, same noses, chin. Their mouths and eyes were where they varied the most. Amy's eyes were more rounded like her mother's while Max's were almond shaped like his father's.

She felt Max's eyes sweep over her and resisted the urge to make sure her hair was laying flat. It wasn't that she was attracted to him, because after everything she remembered, he seemed more like a brother to her; she just wanted to make a good second impression.

"I'm Max," he said sticking out his hand. Amy's eyes widen in fear as July went to shake his hand.

"I'm July, but you probably already know that," July replied, cautiously shaking his hand. Both her and Amy breathed a sigh of relief when July didn't faint again. A couple more images came to her mind but she didn't feel any intense pain this time, just a slight prickle.

"Yeah I already knew, but I figured I could still do the introduction incase you didn't," he shot back with a smirk.

"No, I knew. Amy and I were just talking about you," July taunted, sticking her hands into her back pocket, taking up her usual stance.

"Oh really?" Max looked back at Amy skeptically.

"Don't worry, nothing bad. Well, nothing too bad." Amy said grinning.

Max rolled his eyes at her and turned back to July. "So you're living in LA now?" he asked and July nodded her head. "You been out and around yet?"

July gave a slight shrug. "Your dad showed me around one day, just to give me a layout of the city."

"Yeah, but he probably took you to all the boring places," Max said taking off his leather jacket to reveal a slightly muscular built body and the telling of a tattoo on his arm peeked out from his white shirt.

"I wouldn't doubt," Amy added and then looked at July. "Don't worry, I'll show you all the cool places to go," she promised and the two shared a smile.

A silence fell over them just as the kitchen door opened. Out came Charlotte, Miriam, both who were carrying dishes piled with food and trailing behind them was Arnold, who was carrying a pitcher of water and one of iced tea. Once Charlotte had set down her dishes, she took the pitchers from Arnold and began to fill everyone's cups. After she was done and set the pitchers down, she went over to Max and gave him a hug.

"Hey honey," Charlotte gushed, her voice as sweet as saccharine.

"Hey Mom, Dad," Max greeted back, giving his dad a nod.

"You're actually here on time," Arnold remarked mockingly.

"Well you said we were having company so I didn't want to be late," Max replied defensively and Charlotte stepped in between the two of them.

"Now, none of that you two," she chided. "Let's just sit and eat."

With one last glance at each other they sat down, Arnold taking the head of the table and Max sitting on the side very far end away from him. July looked at this with a raised eyebrow and then turned a questioning face to Amy. Amy rolled her eyes and gave her an 'I'll tell you later' look and then took a seat next to Max. July and Miriam sat down on the other side of the table while Charlotte took the other head seat.

"Let's eat. I didn't slave over a stove all day to just look at food," Charlotte prompted.

Everyone gave a small chuckle and it slightly dissipated the air of tension that had settled over them. For the next few minutes that only noise was the clanks of food being dished out and passed around. Once everything was passed around, they all dug in. After a few bites of food, Arnold cleared his throat.

"July, so how's everything going?" he asked pleasantly.

"Okay, everything is going fine. I found a place to get car parts so I'm going to be working on the cars this week," July answered, taking a sip of her iced tea.

"What cars you working on?" Max eagerly questioned.

"My parents left me a Toyota Soarer and a Nova," July said taking another bite of her food.

"I begged dad to let me get a Skyline but he wouldn't let me."

"So what do you have instead?"

"An Acura Legend, but I have to take it in," he grumbled, "it's been making this funny sound when I first start it up."

"I could tell you what is wrong with it if I heard it."

"You're a mechanic?" Max asked surprised.

"Yeah. My…" July stalled not sure how to word it but started again when she figured she might as well just say it how it was, but found it harder than she thought it would be. "My… adopted dad owned a shop and taught me everything. I also took classes in high school."

"So you'll be going to high school with me then," Amy stated.

"No I won't," July corrected.

"What?"

"I already graduated," she supplied but was met with several puzzled frowns. July spent the next few minutes explaining how she had graduated early.

Amy gave a pout. "Wow, I'm majorly jealous, you got to finish a whole year early."

"So what are you thinking about doing now?" Miriam asked, her eyes shining with pride.

"Not sure. I was thinking about getting a job or maybe even going to college. I don't know," July mumbled stabbing her food with her fork, wishing someone would draw the attention to something else.

"Well, whatever you decide, we'll help you," Arnold reassured her.

July saw Max give a scowl out of the corner of her eye. "Thanks," July replied hesitantly, still not sure what was up between Max and Arnold.

They finished eating and talked about various things, July and Amy talking about their years apart from each other and the things they had done. Max contributed to their conversation once in a while. Once dessert had been eaten, July and Amy stood up and began to gather plates.

"You don't have to do that," Charlotte said starting to get up and July ushered her back into her seat.

"I know, but I'm going to anyways. You just sit, you were the cook." July grabbed the rest of the plates and went into the kitchen, Amy walking behind her.

"So what was that all about?" July inquired once the kitchen door closed and she was sure it was safe to talk.

"It's stupid. He's such a hypocrite," Amy all but growled setting dishes on the counter and beginning to scrape food into the garbage.

"What? Who?" July asked taking the plates and rinsing them off in the sink.

"Dad," Amy fumed as she scrapped the last plate. "He is so infuriating. He acts one way with you and with us, he's totally different."

"What do you mean? He's seemed pretty nice so far."

"That's because dad puts on an act. Whenever we have people over, dad does a complete turn around. Stick around long enough and you'll get to know the other side of him," Amy replied cryptically, loading dishes into the dishwasher.

July was still confused and voiced her question. "So what was all that about though?"

Amy gave a sigh, resting her hip against the counter. "Dad is making Max go to law school to become a lawyer just like him. Max doesn't want to, he despises dad's job. And then tonight dad tells you he'll help you whatever you decide, which makes matters more tense."

"And the whole showing up on time?" July asked remembering the snide comment earlier.

"Max isn't the most punctual person."

"Gotcha," July said leaning against the counter. "So what about you?"

Amy scrunched up her face. "I'm suppose to be a good little girl, graduate, find a nice man, pop out a couple of kids and be a good wife," she answered with fake enthusiasm and July gave a short laugh.

"Right, like that's going to happen," she chuckled.

"Excuse me, are you trying to imply that I can't get a guy?" Amy blinked at her but underlying her words was a teasing tone.

"No, but I mean come on. You do the whole mom at home thing? It's just not you. I haven't been around you for the last couple years but from what I remember, that's not you."

"And you're right, that's not me. Glad you remember," Amy said with a half smile.

Just as July was about to say something, Max came in piled with the rest of the dishes. Amy took them from him and began to put away the leftovers.

"Man, I'm glad to be out of there," he mumbled.

"I bet. Why do you think I started to gather the dishes? It was getting a bit too weird for me," Amy replied, putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher and turning it on.

"What time is it?" Max asked.

"Almost six," July answered with a quick look at her watch.

"Still early," he commented. "You two want to go do something?"

"You just want to get out of the house," Amy shot back at him and Mike gave her a 'duh' expression as he hoisted himself onto the counter.

"We could go see what's playing at the drive-in," Amy suggested.

"You guys still have drive-in around here?" July exclaimed. "I've never been to one."

"Well that settles it. We're going. Can't have July be under privileged," Amy teased smirking.

"But movies don't start playing until after seven," Max reminded.

"Well, we can work on your car first then," July supplied and Max gave her a smile.

"I like your thinking. Makes me think you might actually have a brain," he taunted and side stepped away from the smack July aimed at his arm. "Now, now, no hitting the driver. Let's go so you can propose our plan," Max said to Amy, rolling his eyes. Max went out the door with Amy and July following.

"So what are you three up to?" Charlotte asked. Max prodded Amy, knowing that if she asked their dad would be more liable to say yes and give them some extra cash.

"Dad, we were wondering if it was okay to go to the drive-in. July's never been to one," Amy said, emphasizing on the never part.

"Sure," Arnold agreed after thinking for a second. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a couple of bills. "Here's some extra money for food. You guys have fun."

"Thanks for coming July," Charlotte said giving her a hug.

"Thanks for having me," July replied and then turned towards Miriam. "It was really good to see you Miri. We should get together some time and you can help fill me in on stuff. Maybe help me go through the stuff at the house."

"Of course. If you look in the top drawer in your parents' office desk, you'll find a little phone book. My number is in there under Valentino. Just call me whenever you need me," Miriam said getting up and giving July an affectionate hug.

"I'll take July home from the drive in," Max stated and Arnold gave him a curt nod.

"Have fun," Charlotte encouraged.

The trio waved bye and left out the front door, puling into Max's car. It was painted a blood red and the windows were heavily tinted. He had modified it with a body kit but there wasn't anyway for her to know what else he'd done to the car until she heard it, drove it, or checked underneath the hood.

July listened intently as Max turned on the car. Sure enough his engine started to make a weird sound.

"See what I mean," Max complained. "It makes this sound for a few minutes but once I get going it stops."

"I'll have to check the engine but I'm pretty sure I know what it is."

The ride to July's house was filled with chatter. They talked about stuff that they liked: bands, show, movies, cars. The girls found they had tons in common and differed from Max slightly. They pulled up to July's house soon and Max parked into her driveway.

"So this your car?" Max questioned, nodding towards the Accord.

"Yeah, I drove this one, but I got my good ones in the garage," July replied as she made her way to the front door and opened it. "Come on in. We can get into the garage inside.

"If you don't mind, I think I am going to sit and watch TV," Amy said plopping down on the couch and July nodded at her. Amy wasn't much into cars past driving them.

July and Max walked down the back hall. She opened the door to the garage and fumbled to find the light switch, finally finding it and flicking it on.

"Wow," Max murmured going over to the cars.

July smirked and pressed a button to open the garage doors. "Let's give your engine a few minutes to cool down before I do anything. Why don't you pop the hood though?"

Max nodded and then followed July's suggestion and popped the hood of his car. July began to tell him the basic of an engine and Max listen attentively.

Unbeknownst to them, Vince had been taking out the trash when he saw Max's car pull up into July's driveway. He stopped and watched as July and two other people got out of a car, one girl and one guy. They looked similar and V figured they were brother and sister. He remembered that July had gone over to have dinner with a friend. She hadn't told him the specifics so he had no clue where she had gone.

He watched as they disappeared into the house and as the garage door open a few minutes later. Vince watched as the guy came out, opened his hood, and stood back, listening to July and she looked over the engine and pointed out a few things. Vince watched with rising anger as he saw them talked and laughed, the ease at which they interacted with each other. He could feel the jealousy rising within him and did the only thing that calmed him down. He got into his car slamming the door and peeled out, burning rubber as he flew down the street.

---------------------------

tbc…


	28. The Drive In and Deep Thoughts

**Chapter 27: The Drive-In and Deep Thoughts**

---------------------------

July's head shot up as she heard the sound of a car revving and the sound of a car peeling out. She looked over in time to see the last of what she thought was Vince's car round the corner. She looked on in confusion before turning back to Max.

"Who was that?" Max asked with a frown.

"I think it was Vince," July said checking the driveway next to her to see if Vince's car was there; it wasn't.

"Who's Vince?"

"A friend who lives next door," she answered lost in thought on why Vince would have sped off. She turned as she heard her name being called. She found Leon standing on the porch next door.

"Was that V?" he called across the yard, gesturing to the new tire marks on the road.

"Yeah, I just saw the last of his car whip around the corner."

"Wonder what crawled up his butt?"

"No clue," July said shrugging. Leon waved bye and disappeared back into the house.

"Now who was that?" Max asked.

"That was Leon. He's cool," she said absently. July looked at the road, studying it as if it would give her the answers to why Vince had left when Max's voice penetrated her thoughts.

"So you were saying?"

"Oh yeah. Anyways…"

July finished explaining the last of the parts to Max before she turned back into the garage. Opening a cabinet that was hanging on the wall, she found some old work shirts. Buttoning one over her shirt, she rolled up the sleeves and then began to rummage through the drawers, gathering the various tools she would need. Grabbing a wrench, a couple of sockets, and a screwdriver just in case, she went back over to Max's car. She then began to work on fixing his car, explaining what was wrong and how to fix it.

Twenty minutes later, she was done and was wiping her dirty hands on a rag. She put away the tools and took off the work shirt.

"That's it?" Max asked staring at the engine.

"That's it," July said washing her hands at the sink she found in the farther corner of the garage.

"That was pretty easy. I could have done that if I knew what I was doing," he mumbled.

July laughed at him. "Yeah wait 'til something big goes wrong and then you're going to be glad you don't have to do the work. Especially when you can't figure out what's wrong."

"Are you guys done yet? We've got to get going," Amy asked sticking her head out from the door.

"Yeah, we just finished," July answered. She pushed the button to close the garage door and then went into the living room.

"So you fixed it?" Amy questioned as she followed July out the front door.

"I think so," she replied, closing the door behind them. "Have to run the car first." They went out side and joined Max at his car. "So get in already and let's see if I fixed it."

Max got into the car and turned the ignition. His car started up with a steady purr. The girls got into his car and rolled down their windows, allowing the evening's cool breeze to flow through the car. As Max reversed out the driveway he couldn't help but smile.

"I guess you did it," he said heading towards the drive-in.

"Well, that'll teach you not to doubt me. Just goes to prove girls are smarter than boys," July taunted sharing a smirk with Amy.

"Whatever," Max mumbled, shaking his head while the girls laughed at him.

Max easily maneuvered through the evening traffic and soon they were pulling into the drive-in and found a spot to park.

"Who wants to go get snacks?" Amy asked.

"I'll go get them," Max said and held out his hand. Amy dug into her pocket and passed him the money.

"I want nachos," she said. "Oh, and a Sprite. Oh, and a box of milk duds," Amy added, practically bouncing in her seat.

"What about you July?" Max asked getting out of the car and leaning in the open window.

July bit her lip as she though, and then finally answered. "Um… how about a Mt. Dew, and some gummy worms?"

Max nodded, standing up, but then leaned back into the car. "Anything else before I go? Because I'm not going to go during the middle of the movie Amy," he said glaring at her.

Amy gave a guilty smile at her brother's glare. "How about a big thing of popcorn to share?"

"Fine. I'm going now," Max stated, turning and leaving.

The two girls sat and talked, commenting on the previews while they waited for their snacks. Max soon returned, loaded with a box full of food and a tub of popcorn. He got in the car and passed back the box to Amy, who took her items out before passing the box back to the front.

"I swear that if anyone spills anything I will make them walk home," Max threatened, glaring at July then Amy.

July chuckled at his over protectiveness of his car but it would have been the same thing for her car; well maybe not so much with the Accord, but definitely with the Soarer. Before anyone could say anything else, the movie began and they all fell silent.

---------------------------

_Earlier at the Toretto house…_

Leon walked back into the house, the front door banging close behind him. Everyone looked up at him expectantly.

"July said it was V, but she didn't know why he left," he answered their silence question and took back up his spot next to Letty.

"I thought July wasn't home," Mia said from her spot next to Brian.

"Well apparently she is. She was out on the driveway with some guy fixing his car."

Mia and Letty shared a knowing looking, both realizing why Vince had sped off.

"Maybe I should go over and check on her," Dom said starting to get up.

"Dom, no," Mia argued, standing up and placing herself in front of her brother. "You can't rule over her life. She isn't even part of the team."

"So, that doesn't mean I can't check on her," Dom countered back.

"Dom, if you want to stay friends with her, I suggest you leave it be. She doesn't need you to check up on her every time she's not around us for more then five minutes. She's not a kid," Mia said, hands on her hips.

"Fine," Dom grumbled, sitting back down with a sigh. He knew from the look on Mia's face that she wasn't going to let him go over no matter what he said.

Mia smiled a small smile at her victory and sat back down. Letty was fidgeting on the couch. Leon kept giving her looks and trying to pull her closer, but Letty just didn't feel comfortable like she normally was with Leon. She needed to get away and think. She jumped up and everyone looked at her.

"I'm going to go for a drive," Letty said reaching into her pocket for her keys.

"Why?" Leon asked.

"Just to drive and see if I can find V," she answered, even though she wasn't really going to.

"V can take care of himself."

"I know that. I just want to go for a drive too," Letty said backing up towards the door. She had to get away from Leon and his insightful view long enough to think.

"Want me to come?" he asked as he got up too.

_If he were Dom, he just would have let me go, he would have understood,_ Letty thought to herself.

"No. I'll be back soon," Letty said giving him a quick peck on the cheek and was out the door before he could protest.

Leon couldn't help but feel a little frustrated. All week Letty had been acting weird and she had began to distance herself from him. He just didn't understand it. Last week everything was fine and this week it seemed like she was disgusted at his touch. Irritated, Leon gave one last glance around the room before stomping down to his room to do a little thinking himself.

---------------------------

Outside, Letty got into her car and headed off in the direction of the tire tracks. She drove, not really having a destination in mind; she just kept driving, taking random turns. Eventually she arrived at the beach and parked her car. Turning off the car, she got out and looked around. It was a more secluded area of the beach. There was no one around but she could spot a few people about a mile down. She took off her boots and socks, rolled up her pants a bit, and walked out towards the beach.

The ocean always seemed to have a calming effect on her. She stood in the middle of the sand and closed her eyes, letting the sound of the ocean fill her. The waves pounded onto the sand and a gull or two sounded off in the distance. Once she felt herself calm a bit, she wondered down farther and sat in the warm sand. She watched as the sun began to drop in the sky.

_How did things get so messed up? How did I get so messed up?_ Letty asked herself.

Everything was all wrong. She guessed it all started with the trucks, but she had moved past that; everyone had. That only left one thing that had changed, the guys, mainly Dom and Leon. It all started in Mexico. She had grown to depend on Leon so much in that little amount of time that they had been on their own. She was hurt and who took care of her and made sure she was okay, Leon, not Dom. Leon had taken such good care of her. Then the idea that Leon was what she needed, what she wanted, had struck her. Someone who was tough and protective and she didn't have to worry about being cheated on. Leon wasn't that type of guy. She never had to worry about him sneaking home late or coming home smelling like cheap perfume, and that had made her happy.

But, she had to admit that Dom hadn't cheated on her after the whole fiasco with Tran's sister; or at least she didn't think he had. But that still did nothing to stop the other girls or that nagging suspicion at the back of her mind that always whispered at her. That's why it had been so nice with Leon. She never had second doubts about him--until now. And even now it wasn't so much about his loyalty but more with whether she still wanted to be with him.

God she was so confused. She love Dom; she always would. She loved Leon, but she wasn't sure if it was the right kind of love. She loved him more like a brother. Sure, there was chemistry between them and if things were different then they'd make a great couple and probably be together for a long time, but things weren't different. She still had feelings for Dom, deep feelings. Feelings she was sure would never go away. It was like whenever he was around, thing were just better.

Letty had come to realize that maybe Dom was the one for her. Things with Leon were nice but it wasn't the same that she had with Dom. Dom had been her first for everything so far and deep down inside, she hoped he would be her first for a lot of things to come. She couldn't stay with Leon. It just wouldn't be fair to him, to Dom, or to her. Dom might not even still like her that way, and that idea sending her stomach into knots. What the hell was she going to do?

---------------------------

tbc…


	29. Surprise?

**Chapter 28: Surpise?**

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"Oh, I feel like a beached whale," Amy whined from the back seat as Max pulled up in front of July's house.

"Maybe if you hadn't eaten half the popcorn yourself, you wouldn't feel that way," Max replied with a smirk, not feeling in the least bit sorry for his sister.

"Well, guys, it was fun. Thanks for taking me," July said getting out of the car and letting Amy out so she could get into the front.

"No problem. We should get together soon," Amy said closing the door and leaning through the open window.

"Sure, your dad has the house number, just call me when you want to hang."

"Thanks for fixing my car. I owe you," Max said winking and July shook her head at him, smiling.

"We'll see you around," Amy called out as Max started to drive away.

"Bye," July yelled waving. She turned around and saw that a light was on in the living room. That wasn't right. She hadn't left any lights on and no one had keys to her house. She began to grow more suspicious as she saw a shadow move past the window. Quietly as she could, she went around to the back door. Testing the doorknob, she found it unlocked and slipped in.

Creeping, she made her way to the living room and as she approached, she could hear the television on. She walked further and peeked her head into the living room. The television was on but she didn't see anyone in the room. She walked in figuring that maybe Amy left it on when a hand grabbed her arm. July let out a scream and turned to hit the person, knocking them solidly on the chest.

"Ow!" the person exclaimed letting go of July and rubbing their chest.

"Mike?" July asked, blinking her eyes. Mike's short, black spiked hair was ruffled, like he had run his hand through it and both his eyebrow were scrunched over his ash gray eyes. He was wearing a black Social Distortion shirt, a pair of blue jeans that looked like they were ready to fall apart, and his ever present black Converse. He had a good solid build, but not that of a bodybuilder, just toned and fit.

"Surprise?" Mike said warily.

"Mikey!" July cried launching herself into his arms when the fact that Mike was actually standing in her living room sunk in. She felt his arms come around her, giving her a brief squeeze. Mike stood a couple inches taller than her so that her head fit perfectly on his shoulder.

"So is that how you greet everyone?" Mike asked rubbing the sore spot on his chest once July let go.

"No just you. You're special. Plus you so got what you deserved. That's what you get for scaring me," July replied smugly.

"Yeah, well how about no more special greetings for me, okay?"

"Maybe. I just can't believe you're here," July said amazed.

"I told you I was coming."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd be here till tomorrow."

"Well, I left early and I was a little eager to get here," Mike said flopping down on the couch, July settling down next to him.

"I guess so." July couldn't keep the grin off her face, just happy to have Mike here.

"Boy, did I not miss that goofy smile," Mike teased and earned a smack for his comment.

"Shut up, you know you did," July said trying to keep a straight face and failing horribly.

"I guess I did, but just because there was nothing else to make fun of," Mike remarked, pulling back from July and her death glare.

"So…how did you find me?"

"Easy," Mike said with a roll of his eyes before propping his feet on the table. "Called your lawyer. What's his name? Arnold Lewis."

"That was you?" July questioned, remembering the call the Arnold had to take, right before she fainted. The memory of fainting bugged her a bit. She didn't want Amy to think she was a wimp and no doubt she was going to tell Max about it.

"Yeah. I had dinner with Sam and Mary the night before I left and they explained a couple things to me and told me the name of your lawyer. So tonight when I got within city limits, I called him and asked him to give me direction, hence, me being here already. Pretty smart huh?" Mike asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

It was July's turn to roll her eyes at him. "Well, all of it except the scaring me part. That was just stupid."

"Yeah, that part kind of hurt," Mike commented, rubbing the sore spot again and wincing.

"So where's your car and all your stuff?" July asked looked around.

"Car's parked across the street. I didn't want to give myself away."

"Well, let's go get it." July got up, pulling Mike with her. They left out the front door and July stood on the porch while Mike parked his dark green Civic into the driveway, taking out two duffle bags from the back and locking up the car. She grabbed a bag from him once he was at the porch and led him back inside.

"So where am I staying?" Mike asked.

"In a guest room," July answered leading the way up the stairs and into one of the guest rooms. It was decorated similar to the rest of the house with its beach décor. The room was fairly large with a bed, a dresser, and a closet. An ottoman chair sat near the window and close to it was a desk. July set the duffle bag she was carrying at the foot of the bed.

"Wow. This is nice," Mike observed, setting his own bag down and taking in everything.

"It's okay. Let me show you around."

July gave him a tour of the house, finishing it in the kitchen. "And the backyard's out there," July said pointing to the double doors. "And if you haven't guessed, this is the kitchen," July finished, stopping and leaning against the counter.

"Really? I thought it was a bathroom," Mike replied mockingly.

"Yeah, only you would think that."

"Man, I am so tired."

"It's the time difference. Come on, you need sleep," July ordered leaving the kitchen.

"Sleep. Good," Mike mumbled, following her.

"Yeah, and lack of it reduces you down to cave man talk. Oh wait, my bad, your always like that," July said impishly.

"I am too tired to even try and think up a comeback."

"Well, I'll see you in the morning. My room right there if you need something," July said pointing at her door as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Okay. Night," Mike said giving her a hug.

"Night," July replied and headed to her room. She heard the guest door close as she opened her own door. The thought that Mike was only a couple feet away if she needed him brought a smile to her face. She went to sleep hoping that when she woke up in the morning, Mike would still be here and that it wasn't a dream.

---------------------------

July woke up the next morning feeling excited. Mike was here, they were going to go pick up the rest of the parts and fix the cars. What more could a girl ask for? And she'd be able to introduce Mike to everyone since she promised Mia she would go down for lunch. She got up and took a quick shower, throwing on a pair of worn jeans and a white tank and putting up her hair into a loose bun.

She clambered downstairs to find Mike sitting on the couch, eating a bowl of cereal. She smiled at how at home Mike looked. You could always count on him to do what he wanted, no matter whose house it was, he still acted like he owned it, or maybe he was just that comfortable.

"You're finally awake!" Mike exclaimed around a mouthful of cereal. "Do you know how long I have been up?"

July raised an eyebrow at him and then walked into the kitchen with Mike behind her. He sat at the table as she got her own bowl of cereal. July sat at the table and began to eat just as Mike finished. He put his bowl in the sink and then sat back down.

"So," Mike began, exaggerating the word, "What's on the agenda for today?"

July swallowed the cereal in her mouth. "We're going to go pick up the rest of the car parts, then probably work on the cars 'til lunch. I promised a friend I'd go down to their store for lunch, so you get to meet everyone."

"Fun fun. Well, hurry up and eat, I want to go," Mike whine.

July glared at him and continued to eat, taking as long as she wanted just to torture Mike. He watched closely as the bowl began to empty. The bowl was snatched out of her hands as she slurped the last of the milk. Mike quickly put the bowl in the sink and turned back towards her.

"All right, let's go!" he ordered, walking out of the kitchen. July smirked at his retreating form and followed after him.

---------------------------

July and Mike arrived at the Racer's Edge around nine. July pulled her car into a spot and Mike was out the door before the car was even fully stopped.

"You know, next time you do that I am just going to slam the brakes and laugh as you go flying," July threatened as she got out of the car and locked it.

"Ha ha, very funny," Mike deadpanned, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"I know, thank you." July smirked, slinking past him.

They entered the store and Mike's retort died on his lips as he took in the surroundings.

"Hey, look, I found a way to shut you up!" July jibed as she walked away from Mike's still form, giving him a tiny flick on the arm. Mike snapped back to reality and gave her a look.

"I bet you were the same way when you first came," Mike growled, stepping up next to her at the counter.

"Yup," July agreed watching as Mike turned so he could look at everything.

"Hello July," Harry's voice sounded out as he came from the back.

"Hi Harry. Did you get everything that I needed?" July asked.

"Yeah, they're in the back. Just bring your car around and we'll load them up."

"Give us a couple minutes to look around and then we'll be back."

"Sure thing," Harry said nodding.

"Man, you know how much money I could spend in here?" Mike asked with a glazed over look.

"Yeah, I can just imagine." July continued to watch him as an idea formed in her head. "Okay, I'll buy you two things," she said and couldn't hold back the smirk at Mike's shocked expression.

"What? No way! Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I mean you came all the way out here for me, this will be a way for me to compensate you and thank you for coming," July explained, looking down at her feet.

Mike tipped up her chin, her face serious. "JJ, you don't have to do that, I told you I wanted to come."

"I know, but I want to do this for you," July said wrapping herself around one of his arms.

They spent a couple minutes looking through things and finally Mike decided on green neon glow kit for underneath the car and some speakers. Luckily Harry had it all in stock and added it to July's pile. They loaded up the parts and headed back to July's house, where they back up the car into the driveway and popped the trunk.

"I'm going to go change into my coveralls," July said as they walked through the front door.

"Me too."

Mike followed her up the stairs. They parted their separate ways and rejoined each other in a few minutes. They both came out with their overalls tied around their waist but July wore a white wife beater while Mike wore a black one.

"I have something for you," Mike said going back into his room. He returned with a shoebox and a travel case in his hands.

"What's that?" July asked with a frown.

"This is all your drawings," Mike explained, handing the shoebox over to her. She opened it up to find all her drawings and the set of colored pencils she especially used.

"Did you take these all from the shop?"

"Yeah, I went and got all your stuff. Now you have to guess what's in here," Mike teased, waving the travel case in her face. She studied the familiar looking box.

"My spray gun!" July shouted, grabbing the case from him and hugging it.

"Yeah, Sam told me to bring it to you."

"Oh," July mumbled running her thumb along the edge of the case.

"So, I thought we were going to work on the cars," Mike prompted, trying to lift July's spirits up. If cars didn't do it then he didn't know what would.

"Yeah," she answered as she followed Mike down to the garage, lost in thought about Sam and Mary.

"Earth to July. Is there anyone in there?" Mike asked.

July shook her head to bring herself out of her stupor. "Yeah, what?"

"I asked which one you wanted to work on first?" Mike repeated, opening the garage door in front of July's car. July set the boxes containing her spray gun and drawings on the bench and then began to help Mike unload the car parts.

"Let's work on the Soarer," July decided, setting the last box on the ground.

"Sweet, but you know what we need if we are really going to work on the cars?" Mike asked looking at her. Their eyes meet and they both knew.

"Music," they answered at the same time.

"I'll go get my stereo and CDs," July said disappearing and reappearing a few seconds later. "Okay, so what do you want to listen to?"

"Why don't you surprise me?" Mike suggested, putting all the stuff they would need for the Soarer into a pile on the bench.

July slipped her Red Hot Chili Peppers CD in and turned to help Mike separate the parts. As the music began to play, Mike turned and smiled at her, nodding his head at her selection.

"Good choice."

She opened the hood to the Soarer and they began to work. July telling him about everything that had happened in full detail since she'd arrived and filling him in on everyone next door. Mike got especially jealous when he heard about the race but was ecstatic when July said he could probably go to the next one.

It was noon by the time July checked her watch again. They had made some progress on the car. Maybe a day more and then they would be done with all the basic stuff.

"Okay, lunch time," July announced, wiping the sweat off her face. The day had proven hot and with no fan in the garage the air was muggy. She would definitely be putting a fan on her shopping list.

"Okay, where are we going?" Mike asked.

"My friends little store," July answered.

They both washed up and got into her car. The drive was quick and the rushing air from the windows felt good. July wasn't surprise to see everyone else's car already parked as Mia had told her they usually came by for lunch. She parked her car next to Vince's and they both go out, Mike whistling at the other cars.

"You ready to meet everyone?" she asked.

"I guess," Mike answered.

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tbc…


	30. So who Wants to Give me a Ride?

**Chapter 29: So Who Wants to Give Me a Ride?**

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Before they could fully walked in, July grabbed one of Mike sleeves that were tied around his waist and stopped him. She could feel everyone's eyes on them.

"What?" Mike questioned with a frown.

July took a deep breath, trying to quell her nerves. "I just want to warn you. Both the girls inside are spoken for so don't go and do something stupid to piss off one of the guys," July said sternly.

"Like I would do anything to piss someone off?" Mike asked sarcastically. When he saw the expression on July's face he knew she was serious.

"Mike, I'm not kidding. I like these people and I don't want to lose them as friends. Once you leave, they might be all I have left," July finished quietly.

"All right, I promise to try to piss everyone off," Mike said.

"Mikey!" July whined, even though she knew he was joking. Mike just hugged her around the waist and they continued inside.

Inside, Vince could feel his blood start to boil as he took in the sight of July and some guy. True, he had no real reason to be upset since him and July weren't together but he still felt this overwhelming jealousy. He watched as they talking quietly among themselves, but soon they both turned and entered.

"Hey guys!" July greeted. Brian was sitting at the counter eating a sandwich, while Mia was behind it. Leon, Letty and Jesse were standing around munching on a bag of chips. Vince sat at the farther edge of the counter, a couple seats down from Brian. A chorus of hellos sounded out and everyone was eyeing Mike.

"Guys, this is Mike, my best friend from Texas. Mike this is Vince, Brian, Mia, Jesse, Leon, and Letty," July introduced, gesturing to each person. Almost everyone nodded, Mia chirping a hello as Brian shook his hand.

"Well, looks like you two were busy," Mia teased, leaning on the counter to look at them. July had grease and oil spots on her shirt while Mike had some on his coveralls.

"Yeah, we started to work on the Soarer," July explained, as they both sat down. Mike sat one seat over from Brian and then July, putting her next to Vince.

"Did you have any trouble getting the parts?" Dom asked coming out of the back.

July looked up and gave him a smile. "Nope. Harry had everything I needed."

"Good," Dom said and then shifted his glance towards Mike.

"Dom, this is my best friend Mike, Mike this is Dom."

The two nodded their heads at each other but neither offered to shake hands.

"So you guys hungry?" Mia asked handing them a menu.

"Starving, this chick is a slave driver," Mike answered, July scoffing and smacking him.

Mia chuckled at the two. "Well, what do you want?"

"I'll have a turkey sandwich," July replied and then turned to Mike.

"Me too," Mike said sliding the menu back to Mia.

"Okay." Mia turned around to make their food. "Drinks are in the back fridge."

"I'll get them," July said, hopping off her seat.

"What? You're not even going to ask what I want?" Mike protested.

July raised one eyebrow at him. "Like I don't know what you want. You never change. You want a Pepsi."

Mike grumbled at her. "You never know, I could have wanted something else."

"Yeah, sure," she said over her shoulder. July headed to the back and opened the big fridge doors. She stood there for a minute letting the cold air run over her.

"Hey, that's not an air conditioner. You gonna pay for the extra electricity?" Dom asked leaning against the doorframe to the office.

"You wish," July said as she grabbed two sodas and closed the door.

"So how's everything going?"

"Good. I went to the drive-in last night with my old best friend and her brother. Then Mike showed up. We got the parts and we're working on the cars, so it's all good. What about you?"

"I've been better," Dom answered, running a hand over his head.

"What's up?" July asked with a frown.

"Just got a lot of stuff to think about," Dom said sounding tired.

"I know how that goes."

"I've been meaning to tell you, if you need help on the Nova, let me know. I am pretty familiar with the older engines," Dom said looking more through July than at her. He was lost in memories of his dad and him building the Charger.

"Yeah, help would be great with it later. I probably won't work on it 'til I get the Soarer done," July said bring Dom back.

"All right, just let me know when," Dom said with a wink and started to turn back to the office.

"Hey Dom," July called, causing Dom to turn around.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering when the next race was."

"Friday. Last one didn't scare you off did it?" he asked with a lazy smirk.

"No, I was actually wondering if Mike could come. I told him he might be able to go but I figured I'd have to talk to you first," July said chewing on her lip.

Dom paused for a moment. "Let me think about it."

July nodded her head and then walked back to the counter, sitting back down next to Mike, passing him a can of soda.

"Here you guys go," Mia said setting two plates down.

"Thanks," July and Mike said and then chomped down, everyone making small talk around them.

"Man, I didn't realize how hungry I was," Mike remarked, once he finished his sandwich.

"Me neither," July said polishing off the last of hers.

"So, what are you guys doing after this?" Mia asked picking up the plates.

"I don't know, it's up to Mike," July replied.

"Up to me?" Mike asked.

"Yup, so you figure out what you want to do."

"Fine. Let me think," Mike said and then tapped his chin with his fingers.

"We might be here a while then," July said making everyone laugh. Mike rolled his eyes at her and then turned to lean against the counter.

"Hey! Who's Skyline?"

"That's mine," Leon said coming over.

"Sweet. Would you let me take a look?"

Leon looked over at July and she gave him the slightest of nods.

"Sure," Leon agreed, figuring that Mike wouldn't be talking about his engine specifications to anyone anyways. They both headed outside. Brian retook up his conversation with Mia and Jesse and Letty appeared to be in deep conversation in the back corner. July looked over to find Vince watching her.

"Hey V."

"JJ."

"So, I've got to ask, why'd you race off yesterday?" July asked with a puzzled frown.

"Just wasn't in a good mood," Vince grumbled, not really wanting to talk about it.

"Oh."

"So who was the pretty boy with you yesterday?" he asked with a slight bitterness.

July looked at him and began to put two and two together and she began to laugh; Vince was jealous. Vince gave her a strange look and then anger set in his features thinking she was laughing at him. He began to get up and walk away when a small hand was on his arm, stopping him.

"Wait V, come on, sit down," she said and pulled him back down with more force then Vince thought she had. "That guy that you saw yesterday was my old best friend's brother. We were all friends when we were little and I hadn't seen them in ten years. So we stopped at my house to fix his car and then we went to the drive-in. Nothing happened. I don't think I could think of him like that."

"Oh, well, that's nice to know," V said feeling dumb for overreacting and could feel his face redden a bit, but before he could stop himself the next question was out of his mouth. "So what about Mike then?"

"Not Mike too! Mike has been my best friend since I was nine. We went out for a while," July noticed Vince tighten up, "But it didn't work out. We're friends now and he has a girlfriend, who I set him up with," July finished, raising an eyebrow at Vince.

"Oh."

"Yeah oh," July repeated with a shake of her head at him, her fists balling up in anger.

"July," Vince said, starting to apologize.

"No Vince," she snapped, cutting him off, "You don't just go and start assuming things because guess what? Ninety-nine percent of the time you're wrong. You know, I don't get you. First you ask if I'm a cop, then you apologize so I forgive you, then you kiss me, I tell you I'm not ready to be like that, and then you just go and assume that I'm with two guys that I would never ever be with like that. I just don't get you. You know what Vince? Let me know when you've grown a brain and maybe we can talk then." July got up and slammed some money on the counter. She marched right past Mike's questioning looks, hopped in her car, and drove off in a cloud of burnt rubber.

"So, who wants to give me a ride?" Mike asked with a wary smile.

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tbc…


	31. Saying Sorry, Twice in One Day

**Chapter 30: Saying Sorry, Twice in One Day**

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July got onto the highway and pushed down harder on the gas pedal. She zoomed in and out of traffic. When she finally realized how fast she was going she slowed down and took her first exit. It wasn't 'til she turned to go back did she notice the car following her. She did a second glance when they flashed their light at her. She looked closer and it dawned on her that it was Letty's car. She pulled up to the next place on the street, which happened to be a little diner. Letty parked next to her and got into July's car.

"So what was that all about?" Letty asked staring at July.

July briefly explained everything that happened and why she had left.

"You'll have to excuse V, he likes to make an ass on himself on a daily basis."

"Yeah, I noticed," July replied, letting out a big sigh.

"It's just V being protective, being who life has taught him to be. He's impulsive. He doesn't always think before he does something or says something. Sometimes it the thing we love most about him and other times the thing we hate about him, but we still love him anyway."

"So what did you follow me for?" July asked after a moment of silence.

"I knew you were going to need someone to talk to and Mia wasn't going to be able to leave, none of the boys were going to do it, and I had a feeling your friend Mike wouldn't be able to either."

"Mike! Oh my god! I just left him there with a bunch of strangers. I am so stupid, how could I leave him there," July started to rant, hitting her fists against her forehead.

"Hey, can I get a word in here? You didn't mean to leave him so don't worry. If he's your boy like you said, then he'll understand, if not, then it's his problem."

"Mike's pretty good about being understanding. He's one of the best guys I have ever met."

Letty didn't have anything to say to that, but it got her thinking about Dom.

"Hey, Let, what's up? You look far away from here," July asked waving a hand across her face.

Letty playfully slapped it away and now realized she had a dilemma. Should she tell July or not? What if July liked Dom and she ruined it for them but telling her that she still loved him? No, she needed to talk to Mia.

"Nothing, just thinking we should probably get back," she lied.

"Yeah, that would be good," July said and started her car.

"So why aren't we moving?" Letty asked after July sat there looking at her.

"Uh, 'cause your butt isn't out of the car yet. Or are you going to leave your precious car here?"

"Sorry, I forgot," she grumbled, opening the door but July's hand on her arm stopped her from getting out.

"Let, I know we don't know each other completely but are you sure they isn't something you want to talk about? You look like there is something bugging you."

"No, I'm good, promise." She got out of the car. "Do you know your way back?" Letty asked crouching in the open door. July looked up sheepishly at her.

"No," she admitted, biting her lip, Letty laughing at her.

"All right, just follow me, if you can."

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The drive home was a cat and mouse game. Letty diving between any open space she could find and July following after her. Luckily they didn't get caught and they arrived at the store in better moods.

Mia looked up and smiled at the two of them as they walked in.

"So where's Mike?" July asked looking around.

"You really didn't expect him to still be here, did you? He left with Leon up to the garage. We've been piling up at the garage, and when Mike said he was a mechanic, Leon suggested that he go up and work with them 'til you got back."

"And of course Mike jumped at the opportunity to be around cars," July said with a little smirk.

"So now we got to head to the garage," Letty said.

"Thanks Mia. I'll see you later," July called back as she got into her car.

Letty waved at Mia and then got into her car. They left with Letty leading the way again. They arrived at the garage and getting out, they could hear the guys laughing. As soon as they walked in the garage though, the laughter died down.

"See I told you, we must have some special power that makes every room we walk into go into silence," July side whispered to Letty. Letty gave a shrug and then headed over to the car she had been working on before lunch.

"Hey JJ!" Mike said coming over and giving her a hug.

"Hey Mike, I'm so sorry I left you. I can't believe I even did that. You must hate me now," July muttered, tears forming in her eyes. She tucked her head down into Mike's chest not wanting everyone to see she was crying. Almost everyone else turned away knowing this was a private moment between the two. The only person left watching was Vince.

"Hey, you know I couldn't hate you," Mike reassured her, raising her head to look in her eyes and wipe away the stray tear that had fallen.

"I didn't mean to leave you."

"I know, you just meant to do it purposely on accident," Mike teased with a raised eyebrow and it was enough to get a small chuckle out of July.

"Okay, so maybe I did," she replied with a small smile.

"Oh I know you did!"

"You know I didn't, right?" July asked, her face serious again.

"Yeah I know," Mike answered, wrapping an arm around her and hugging her tight.

"So you forgive me?"

"Yes, but you have to make it up to me."

"Fat chance if you think that is going to happen," July shot at him, letting him go.

"Excuse me, but aren't you suppose to be kissing my butt to make up for what you did?"

"Fine, what do I have to do?" she asked with a sigh.

"Hmm, what could I make you do?" Mike wondered, rubbing his chin with his thumb and index finger. After a second he got a big grin on his face.

"Mike, that look isn't good," July said and Mike let out an evil cackle.

"You have to do my laundry, clean and wash my car, make me food, and anything else I decide you have to do."

"And why can't you do this yourself?"

"Because I'm lazy," Mike answered with a wink and turning to go back to the car he had been working on.

"I'll give you lazy, you little..." July started to mumble.

"Did you say something?" Mike asked turning back to her.

"Nope," she replied with her best innocent smile, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Mike gave her a grin, letting her know he had heard and then started to work on the car.

"JJ, you want to help me with this car over here?" Jesse asked.

"Sure thing," July said giving a glare at Vince and then heading over.

Vince was still standing in the same spot thinking. Now he realized what the relationship between July and Mike was. He realized it was the same thing he saw with Dom and Mia, brother and sister. Now he really felt like an ass. He then went to work on the car, thinking about a way to apologize.

---------------------------

As everyone resumed their spots around the garage, Letty headed over to the office to talk to Dom.

"Knock, knock?" Letty said peeking her head into the sunlit office.

"What?" Dom questioned without putting the papers in his hand down.

"I need to talk to you about July," Letty said standing in front of the desk.

"Did you find her?" Dom asked, finally putting the papers down.

"Yeah, I found her. She's out there right now." Letty watched as Dom got up and looked through the blinds.

"Good," Dom said letting out a breath and sitting back down in his chair.

"I think the girl has some natural skill," Letty commented.

"And what made you think that?"

"She tailed me all the way back here."

"She tailed you?" Dom asked amazed. Letty could be a crazy, reckless driver, and being patient wasn't one of her strong suits. So the fact that July kept up with her was something.

"Yup."

"Well, that just means we have something to start with."

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"So what do you think is up?" Brian asked Leon as they leaned on the side of the car they'd been working on. Leon's focus was on the office and the door that Letty had disappeared behind. He wasn't stupid; he knew that something was up with Letty, he just didn't know what.

"I don't know," he mumbled.

"She's probably talking about me," July supplied from her spot on the next car over with Jesse.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I think Letty was testing my driving skills on the way here. She kept making outrageous turns and stops."

Leon and Jesse shared a look, knowing that Letty had tested July. It made Leon feel better knowing that Letty was in there talking about July and not something else.

A couple minutes later, Letty came out of the office and motioned for July.

"Yeah, what's up?" July asked as she came over.

"Dom wants to talk to you," Letty simply said and then walked away to work on a car.

July turned back to the office and opened the door, walking in.

"Hey," Dom said as she entered.

"Hi," July replied taking a seat.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"So what did you run off for?" Dom asked leaning forward on the desk.

"V just said some stupid stuff, I got mad and left," July explained.

"Oh. So, Letty tells me you tailed her."

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" July asked nonchalantly.

"Just proves you have some skill. I have an idea," he said after a moment, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

"What?"

"We've been overloaded a bit and could use an extra set of hands. You willing to take the job?"

July hesitated a moment, not sure if the offer was genuine or not. When he continued to look at her for her answer, she was sure that it was. "Sure, that would be perfect. When do you want me to start?"

"Finish up the Soarer first. Then we'll work you down here."

July smiled and nodding, getting up from the chair. She paused at the door before going out. "Thanks Dom."

Dom gave her a nod and the barest of smiles before July finished walking out and over to check up on Mike.

"Okay, done," Mike said tightening the last hose into place.

"Good, let's get going," she suggested, grabbing onto his arm. "We'll see you guys later," she called out to everyone.

---------------------------

"So what did Dom want to talk to you about?" Mike asked as soon as they got to July's house.

"He offered me a job," July said as she opened the garage.

"Did you take it?"

"No, I told him no because being offered a job as a mechanic isn't my dream job," she offered with a straight face, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Liar," Mike deadpanned.

"Well duh. Of course I told him yes! What else could I have said?"

Mike rolled his eyes at her and the two began to work on the Soarer again.

It was late into the afternoon when the heard everyone arrive home next door. Jesse and Leon soon popped their heads into the garage, neither one being able to resist the new car.

"Hey," Jesse said standing next to the car. Leon was right behind him.

"Hey Jesse, Leon. What's up?" July asked, pushing back the few strands of hair that had fallen into her face.

"Just came to check out the car," Leon said stepping up.

"Sure. Jesse, I think we might be ready for your help with the engine now."

"Sweet. Let's see what we got." Jesse became lost in the engine. July followed every step he took and listened closely as he explained. They had only finished a little part when Dom showed up.

"We were looking for you two," he said.

"We were just helping with the engine," Leon explained.

"Well dinner's ready. Mia's not going to save you any food if you don't come over soon."

Jesse and Leon exchanged a look but their rumbling stomachs made the decision for them. They both left with the promise of coming back over tomorrow.

"We'll I'm going to go up and take a shower," Mike said.

"Yeah, you stink," July teased, shooing him away. She turned back to find that Dom was still in the garage.

"So how's it coming?" he asked coming over to stand next to her.

"We should be done soon. But I want to do a paint job on it and Jesse has some cool mod ideas."

"You can use the garage to paint it. We have a booth in the back."

"Thanks," she said looking over at Dom and he began to laugh at her. "What's funny?" she asked confused.

"You have a big smear of grease on you face."

"Where?" she asked wiping at her face. "Did I get it?"

"No. Here." Dom grabbed the rag from her hand. Taking her chin in his hand, he dabbed at her face gently until the grease was gone. "There," he said in a bare whisper. His face was close to hers and she could feel his breath on her cheek.

"Thanks," she said in a raspy breath. She didn't know what was happening or what she should do. Part of her said to kiss him and the other half said not to. As Dom lowered his face, Jesse reappeared in the garage.

"Dom, Mia says to come now or there isn't going to be any food. She said she can't protect it much longer from Vince," Jesse said oblivious to what was going on.

"All right, I'm coming," Dom answered releasing July's face and taking a step back. Jesse left, leaving the two of them alone again. July ducked her head in embarrassment over what almost happened.

"I'm sorry Dom, but I can't be like that with you. At least not yet. I'm sorry. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Vince, I can't be with anyone right now. I just can't. I'm sorry," she said and left the garage. Dom stood there not knowing what to do. The fact that July rejected him made her more puzzling to him and he wanted her that much more. He left, closing the garage after him. July was a mystery to him, and one he intended to find out.

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tbc…


	32. Problems

**Chapter 31: Problems**

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July and Mike spent the next day working on the Soarer. They had lunch at the house and Jesse showed up just as they were finishing.

"Hey Jesse, what are you doing here?"

"I came to finish helping with the car," Jesse answered taking off his jean jacket and setting it on the workbench.

"That's cool. You hungry? I can go make you a sandwich real quick." July asked.

"No, I already ate but thanks."

"So let's get started."

The trio spent the rest of the afternoon working on the last of the engine. It was around five when Jesse pronounced it ready to start.

"Let's see if it works," Jesse said wiping his hands on a rag.

"Wait, we need to switch out the gas first."

"That's right. I always forget something. I think we have a tank over at the house. I'll go get it while you start getting the old stuff out."

Jesse soon returned with the tank and once they had switched the gas out, July was bouncing around in anticipation.

"Here you go," Mike said handing her the keys. July took then and then got in the car.

"JJ, you're on the wrong side," Jesse said laughing at her.

"I'm now realizing that," July replied as she moved herself over the gearbox to the other side. She stuck the key in the ignition and turned it. It started to sputter and then started up with a roar as July pressed down the gas. July let out a whoop of excitement and she could hear Mike and Jesse doing the same thing. July cut the engine and got out, giving each guy a hug.

"Thanks guys, I couldn't have done it without you."

"You're welcome," Jesse said.

"We should go celebrate," Mike suggested and Jesse's face lit up at the idea.

"All right. Let me go over to the house and get cleaned up," Jesse said as he disappeared out the garage. "I'll see you in a bit!"

"Okay!" July yelled back as she and Mike headed into the house to get cleaned up too.

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Jesse was coming out the door when the team pulled up. Everyone greeted him as they passed by, Dom stopping him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Where you going Jess?" he asked.

"July invited me out to go celebrate," Jesse said.

"Celebrate?"

"Yeah we got the Soarer started," Jesse answered with a big smile.

"Jesse, you ready?" July yelled coming out of the house and heading in their direction. "Oh hey Dom," July said stopping a couple feet away from them.

"July. You guys got the Soarer running?"

"Yeah, I was going to call and ask you if it was okay to bring it down and use the paint booth."

"Sure, just bring it down in the morning, we don't have any paint jobs lined up."

"Thanks," July said staring him in the eye. Dom could see the confusion still written in them. "So Jess you coming?" she asked looking away from Dom to Jesse

"Yeah, I think so." Jesse turned his face to Dom. Dom stared at him for a second and then nodded his head.

"Okay," Dom agreed as a smile lit up Jesse's face. He couldn't even remember the last time he had smiled like that; wait, he could: before the accident. "Just remember your boundaries," Dom warned and watched as a dark shadow passed over Jesse's face.

"I will. See you later Dom," Jesse said and joined July.

Dom watched as they joined Mike, who was waiting for them at the car, and took off. He went inside to find everyone sprawled in the living room.

"Where's Jesse?" Leon asked.

"He went out with July," Dom said starting up the stairs. He needed a shower.

"With July?" Vince asked.

"Yeah, they went out to celebrate getting the car started. She's bringing the car to the garage in the morning to use the painting booth," Dom said disappearing upstairs.

"Well, guess I should go start making dinner," Mia said getting up.

"How about we go pick up something?" Letty suggested, wanting a way to get Mia away from everyone so they could talk.

"Yeah, I really don't feel much like cooking anyways. What do you guys want?" she asked looking around.

"Tacos?" Leon said and Brian and Vince agreed.

"Tacos it is," Mia said grabbing her keys.

"I'll come with," Letty said. Mia quirked her eyebrows at her but didn't say anything.

"Okay, what's up?" Mia asked once they were in the car and on their way.

"I've got a big problem," Letty said slouching in her seat. She explained her situation and how she had no clue what to do.

"Boy, when you've got problems, you've got problems. So let get this straight, you still love Dom?"

"I will always love Dom."

"But you love Leon?"

"Yeah, but I don't think I am in love with Leon."

"Let, I'm going to be honest. I think the best thing to do is to break things off with Leon and just be on your own for a while. Figure out yourself and what you want. Let everything settle and then do what you want. It's not fair to be leading on Leon either."

"I know. I feel bad as it is. But what about July? What if Dom and her end up together? What is Dom doesn't even still feel that way about me?" she finished in a quiet voice. This was the side of Letty that only Mia and Dom had seen. She hated appearing weak to anyone.

"Letty, you know that Dom still feels that way about you. Have you seen the way he looks at you sometimes? As for July, I don't think that Dom really likes her like that; I think he's just fascinated with her because she's not willing to do anything to be with him like other girls. Letty, you know what? She reminds me a lot of you sometimes. What happened the first time that you met Dom? You couldn't stand him and what happened? He ended up being stuck on you and you guys were together for like forever."

"Yeah but then isn't he going to go after July then?"

"Let, are you forgetting about Vince? Even though Dom wants to think he's all big and bad, he isn't going to ruin his friendship with Vince to be with July. Either one of them will step down for the other. They are going to let her pick who though, neither of them is going to force her. Personally, I don't think that July is going to pick Dom though. In a way, I want Vince to get her because he's already had let down, me being a point in fact. Plus, they are cute together," she added with a smile.

"Yeah…"

"So are you going to break if off with Leon?" Mia asked.

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Soon, soon," Letty said losing herself in the passing scenery outside.

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Once they had returned home and everyone had eaten, Letty was beginning to become nervous, and that wasn't something she handled well. Mia kept giving her looks and glancing at Leon. She was going to have to do it soon. Mia wasn't going to let her put it off.

Why had she told Mia again? That's right, for help, but at this rate it seemed more like she'd gone to her to get harassed from across the room. She shot Mia the hundredth glare and shook her head a bit to tell her no. Mia gave her an exasperated look and finally Letty couldn't take it any longer. She leaned over to Leon.

"Can I talk to you outside?" she whispered. Leon looked at her and then nodded his head.

They got up and headed outside with everyone watching their backs. It was quiet outside and the sun was fading on the horizon, giving out its last light of the day. Letty heard Leon sit at the table and could feel his stare on her back. She took a deep breath and then turned to him.

"Leon, I want you to know that I love you, but…" Letty could find the words.

"But what Letty?" Leon prompted, already having a feeling where this was going.

"Le, I'm not in love with you," she said quietly.

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know how to explain it," Letty said sitting down.

"You still love him, don't you?" Leon questioned.

"Yeah, I do," she said quietly.

"And you just lead me on?" he asked but Letty didn't have an answer for him. "I don't get you. I took care of you, I looked after you, I never cheated on you, and he still has all of you. I could give you everything I have and you still wouldn't be satisfied because I'm not him."

"Le, that's not it."

"Then what is it? Tell me, I'd really like to know."

"I don't know Leon!" Letty yelled. It attracted the attention of someone upstairs in their room. Dom came to the window and looked down at them but neither one of them noticed him.

"You know what? Screw this, I'm out of here," Leon said going inside and down to his room.

"Leon, don't be like this," Letty said following his rigid back inside the house and down to his room.

"Your stuff better not be in my room when I get back," Leon ordered, grabbing a bag of clothes and walking past her out the door.

"Leon!" Letty yelled following him out the front door. By now everyone was watching and Dom had come down the stairs.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" Jesse asked as he walked up. He took one look at Leon heading for his car and Letty coming down the porch, screaming his name and knew something was wrong.

"Jesse, you better grab her because I'm taking off whether she's near the car or not," Leon said as he slammed his car door.

"Leon!" Letty screamed. Jesse grabbed her as she marched past him. "Jesse, let me go! Leon!" Letty watched as Leon screeched down the street and disappeared from sight. Letty stopped her struggling and collapsed into a heap on the grass, bring Jesse down with her. She buried her face into his chest but the tears never came.

It wasn't until she was packing her stuff from Leon's room that the tears began to roll down her face. This wasn't what she was expecting. It hurt a lot more than she thought it would. Leon was the level headed, easy going one of the group and tonight he had proven that. He didn't scream, hit, or punch anything; he just took some clothes and left. She prayed that he didn't decide to do anything stupid or wind up getting hurt.

It would have been easier if he would have screamed and let her have it but he hadn't. He had raised his voice a bit and then left; and for some reason it left her feeling guilty. It wasn't until she felt the moister on her hands that she realized the tears were flooding down her face and she was clutching onto one of Leon's shirts. She closed her eyes and held to the shirt to her face, inhaling Leon's familiar scent. She folded it up and tucked it into one of his drawers.

She finished packing her stuff into the garbage bags that she had grabbed from upstairs and stood in the door, not really wanting to leave the room. She took one last look around the room and told herself that it was the right thing, that she couldn't keep playing Leon like this, and left the room.

Mia was waiting for her at the top of the stairs.

"Hey," she said quietly and gave her a hug.

"Hi."

"You okay?"

"As okay as I'm going to be."

"Do you want me to help you move in upstairs?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's not a good thing for me to be here right now," Letty answered.

"Letty, it's your house too," Mia insisted.

"I know, but me around is just going to be adding more tension. Maybe July will let me stay with her for a bit."

"She probably would."

"I'm going to go talk to her," Letty said grabbing her bags and dragging them out with her to July's front door. She pushed back the hair that had fallen in her face, wiped any remaining evidence of tears from her face, and knocked on the door. The door opened and July took one look at her and ushered her in.

"What happened?" July asked sitting her down on the couch.

"I broke up with Leon and it didn't go to well. Do you think it would be okay to stay with you for a while?"

"Yeah, no problem, you can stay here as long as you need to," July said and gave Letty's shoulder a squeeze.

July led Letty up to the other guest room and helped her settle in. Mike had already returned to his room so July stayed up with Letty talking for a couple of hours. Around one, July left to her own room.

Letty lay awake in bed long after July had left, thinking. She didn't know what was going to happen tomorrow. Work was going to be tense. She finally fell into an exhausted sleep around three with only one thing on her mind: how the heck was she going to fix everything?

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tbc…


	33. The Phone Call and Plans

**Chapter 32: The Phone Call and Plans**

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The next morning, after getting dressed, July headed downstairs. She could hear voices and figured that Mike and Letty were already up. She found them in the kitchen, chatting over bowls of cereal. Letty looked like she hadn't slept a wink.

"Morning JJ," Mike said.

"Morning guys," she said grabbing her own breakfast. Just as she sat down at the table, the phone rang. She got back and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey firecracker!"

"Hey Amy, what's up?"

"Well, I just wanted to see if you were busy today."

"Sorry, I kind of am. I got a job so I'll be busy during the week, but how about this weekend?" July said chewing on her lip.

"That would be awesome. I'll see you on Saturday?" Amy asked.

"Sure, see you then."

"Bye."

"Later," July said hanging up the phone and sitting down again.

"Who was that?" Mike asked.

July wanted to give him a glare but most likely, he hadn't been listening in anyways. "Amy, remember I told you about her. She wants to do something this weekend," July said and took a huge bite of cereal.

"Oh," Mike said and returned back to his bowl. July had barely swallowed her first bite when the phone rang again.

"Wow, I must be popular today," she commented, rolling her eyes as she got up to answer the phone yet again.

"Well, don't get use to it," Mike shot back and Letty stifled a laugh.

July gave him a glare and answered the phone. "Hello?"

"JJ?" a female voice said. It took July a second to place it.

"Vanessa! Hey, haven't talked to you in a while, how are you doing?" July asked making eye contact with Mike, who got up and stood next to her.

"I'm okay. Listen is Mike there? I really need to talk to him," she asked, her voice holding a nervous edge to it.

"Yeah, let me pass him the phone." July gave Mike the phone and sat back down.

"Who's Vanessa?" Letty whispered.

"His girlfriend."

"Oh," Letty said finding herself slightly disappointed. She would have to think about why she was later.

"Hey baby," Mike said into the phone.

"Mike, I don't know how to tell you this," Vanessa started.

"Tell me what?"

"Mike…" Vanessa trailed off.

"Baby, you can tell me anything," Mike said beginning to worry. Vanessa was usually outgoing and said whatever was on her mind.

"Mike, it's your mom. There's been an accident."

"What?" Mike asked confused and sat down at the table, pressing the phone closer to his ear.

July watched with concern as Mike paled at whatever Vanessa said.

"Okay, okay. I'll get packed and come home. I love you…bye," Mike said hanging up.

"Mikey? What's wrong? What happened?" July asked, grabbing his hand, which was cold underneath her touch.

"It's Mom. There was some sort of accident. She's in the hospital. I have to go," Mike said absently, running his hands through his unruly hair as he stood up.

"Is she going to be okay?" July asked getting up and standing next to him.

"I don't know. They won't tell Vanessa much since she isn't 'family'."

"You need to get going. I'll call and buy you an airplane ticket."

"You sure?" Mike asked looking up at her. July knew he'd hate to ask but there was deep desperation in his eyes and she was sure she couldn't deny him anything at the moment.

"Yes, it will get you there the fastest. Maybe I should come with you?" she suggested.

"No," Mike answered, pulling her into a hug. "You need to stay here and work everything out. I know that all this is important to you. Mom wouldn't want you to leave on her account."

"If you say so," July mumbled into his shoulder before Mike let her go.

"I do," he reassured, gripping her shoulders. "I'm going to go get packed," Mike mumbled and then rushed from the room.

"So…is your life always this eventful?" Letty asked.

"No, not usually," July answered with a smirk.

"Well, if you don't need me I'm going to head down to the garage. I'll let Dom know what's up and tell him you'll be in later?" she said the last part as a question, not sure what July was going to do.

"Yeah, I'll be in later. Thanks Letty."

"No problem girl," she said and left.

July then grabbed the phone and began to make the arrangements for Mike, getting the soonest flight possible. She had just hung up the phone when Mike came clambering down the stairs, duffel bag in hand. They made eye contact, July giving him a small smile before they both headed for the front door together.

"What about my car?" he said as they got outside.

"I'll figure out how to get it you or I'll drive it down in a couple of weeks; or it could be an incentive to come back and visit me," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Right, an incentive," Mike repeated with a half smile. "All right, let's go," Mike said after he had put his stuff in the trunk.

The drive to the airport was long and tense; not to mention slightly complicated since neither one knew where they were going, but July's antics as she got them lost and found again seemed to lift Mike's spirits a little. They parked in the short-term parking and managed to get inside without getting run over.

"I'll pay you back someday," Mike promised once they had picked up his ticket.

"Don't worry about it," July replied checking the screens for his flight.

"Thank you," Mike said once she looked at him.

"What are friends for," she offered with a smile. "Come on, let's get to your terminal or you're going to miss your plane." She looped an arm through his and they began walking.

They had to wait a grueling hour before the plane even arrived and the attendants began to announce they were boarding.

"Well, this is me," Mike said, rocking back on his heels.

"I know. Call me as soon as you get there?" July asked, gripping onto his arms.

"I promise."

"I'm going to miss you," July said pulling him into a hug.

"Me too," Mike whispered into her ear. "Sorry I couldn't stay longer."

"It's okay, just go and let me know how Mom is."

"Okay. I love you," Mike said.

"I love you too," July replied trying to push back the tears she knew were coming. Mike didn't need to see her cry.

"Bye."

"Bye," July said, letting him go and gave his hand a lingering squeeze.

Mike stepped up the attendant and handed her his ticket. Soon he was walking down towards the plane. He turned back to look at her and she held up her hand to mock a phone and mouthed 'call me'. Mike gave her one of his trademark smirks and waved at her. She waved back and watched as he disappeared down the bend.

Once he was gone from sight, she let the tears fall that she had been holding in. She let them run freely down her face for a few minutes before she wiped them away. She sniffled and then made her way to her car. Once again, she was alone.

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When July returned back to her house, she saw Leon's car parked next to the sidewalk. Letty had told her what happened and she didn't expect to see him back so soon. She had just got out of her car when Leon walked out the front door. He took one look at her and froze.

"You just had to be the one to catch me," he moaned with a sigh.

"Would you have rather it been someone else?" she asked as she walked over.

Leon looked at her for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "I guess not."

"So…how are you?"

"Letty's stuff isn't in the house. I'm assuming she's with you?" he asked instead of answering the question.

"Yeah. She figured she'd give you both a little room to breath so to speak."

"You going to tell the team you saw me?" he asked after a moment.

July scrutinized him for a moment. "I won't, under one condition."

"What?"

"You teach me how to drive my baby?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

"Of course!" Leon said with a smile, letting out an inner sigh of relief.

They spent the better part of an hour doing 'driving lessons'. It didn't take long for July to master shifting gears left handed and they spent the rest of the time goofing off.

It was almost noon when July pulled back up to the house and let Leon out, swearing an oath that she wouldn't tell the others that she had seen him. He blew her a kiss as he drove away. The hour together had proved helpful as they both cheered the other up.

July arrived at the garage a little while after, having not been able to resist the urge to take her car out on the highway for a spin. She found no one in the shop; they had already headed down for lunch. She debated about going down but decided against it. She really wasn't hungry.

She found the paint booth and pulled her car near it. She searched around and easily found everything she was going to need. She taped off the car and then began to wet sand it. She wasn't going to take all the paint off, the base was still good. She was just going to sand off the clear coat, maybe do a light base coat and then paint what designs she wanted, and finally put back on the clear coat and some pearls.

She had a quarter of the car sanded when she heard someone clear their throat. She turned her head towards the noise, her hand stilling as she saw who it was: Vince.

"Hey," she said coolly and then turned back to start sanding again.

"Hey," he replied, taking a step closer.

"You need something?" she asked never looking back at him.

"I guess…I just came to apologize...I'm sorry."

"That's nice," July answered, trying to keep her voice as even as possible. It was hard to try and stay cool when he sounded anything but confident. In the short time she'd known him, she'd only ever know him to be either overly confident and slightly cocky, or angry. She'd only heard this tone once before when he felt bad about what he'd done.

"I really am. I was wondering if you would let me make it up to you," Vince said almost shyly.

July turned to look at him when she heard the last part. She didn't even have to ask to know that Vince had never made it up to someone before. A warmth spread over her at the thought that this was the first time that Vince was going to really apologize and try to make it better. He looked awkward enough at it was, hands pushed into his pockets as far as they would go, staring at his shoes as he scuffed at the ground with them. If they hadn't been so serious, she might have laughed at him.

"Fine, you have one chance," she warned, pushing back the hair that had fallen in her face.

"How's tonight?" Vince asked.

"Tonight is fine."

"I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Okay," July said and turned back around to start sanding again. She didn't see the huge grin that broke out on Vince's face but heard him walk away.

When she knew he was gone, she let her own smile come out too. It was hard to stay upset at him, especially when he gave her those eyes. She spent the rest of the afternoon sanding and thinking about what Vince had up his sleeve.

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It was around five when she headed into the main garage. She smiled at everyone and then headed towards the car that Letty appeared to be underneath. July tapped her foot with her own and Letty rolled out, grease and oil smeared on her shirt and hands.

"Hey, I was just about to come check on you. You've been in there for hours."

"Yeah, I was going to see if I could get a ride with you since I'm leaving the Soarer here," July said.

"Sure. Let me finish up here. My car's out front," Letty said disappearing back underneath the car.

July turned and began walking out of the shop, Dom catching up with her.

"How's the car coming?" he asked.

"Tomorrow I'll pick up some paint and start painting."

"That's good," Dom commented as he unlocked his car. "You need a ride?"

"No thanks, I'll just wait for Letty," July answered, not really wanting to be alone with Dom yet. Their almost kiss from the other day was still fresh in her mind.

"All right, I'll see you tomorrow," Dom said getting in his car. He left with a roar and July was left leaning next to Letty's car. She noticed that Vince's car was already gone. The only other ones left were Letty's and Jesse's. Jesse soon came out and said bye before leaving too, his little Jetta rumbling away down the street. Finally, Letty came out, locking the garage behind her.

"Let's get home, I'm hungry."

"Hey Let, not to pick at a sore subject right now, but did Leon come in at all today?" July asked once they were in the car, watching Letty's reaction carefully. She felt bad about not saying anything about seeing Leon, but a promise was a promise.

"No, he didn't," she said, cracking her neck. "I think I am going to go out and look for him tonight," she said as she began to drive.

"You going to be okay doing that?"

"Yeah, we still need to straighten things out. So what about you?"

"Vince is taking me out to make up for being a jerk," July said.

"Really? Hmm, that's a first."

"I noticed that actually. He was actually kind of shy about asking."

"Vince, shy? That's another thing I would have loved to see," Letty said shaking her head. "I don't know how you do it girl, but somehow you seem to unravel them tough boys."

"Believe me, I wish I didn't," she mumbled.

Letty gave a laugh and continued to drive rather than try to figure out what July meant by her comment. Soon she was pulling up to July's house. They both took a quick shower and then met back downstairs.

"Is that what you're wearing?" Letty asked when she saw July.

July was wearing a loose, black flowing skirt and a lacy one shoulder white blouse, with some slip on sandals. Her hair was combed straight and she left it down, letting it fall in a long spill down her back. She put some dangle earrings in her ears, applied some simple make up, and called it good.

"Yeah, is there something wrong with it?" July asked looking down at herself.

"No, just hope Vince knows what hits him," Letty said as she made her way to the kitchen. July laughed and followed after her.

"You want me to make something for you?" she asked Letty as she opened the fridge.

"Only if you want. I wouldn't want you to get your pretty lil' outfit all dirty," she teased.

"Thanks, but I'm fully capable of cooking without being messy," July shot back.

"All right, if you're sure. I'm not much for cooking. That's usually Mia's gig."

"Okay, I'll cook but you have to clean."

"Deal," Letty agreed, hopping onto the counter.

July quickly whipped something together for Letty to eat and just as she finished cooking, the doorbell rang.

"That's for me," July said grabbing her purse from the counter. "Here's my cell number just incase you end up needing some help tonight," July said scribbling the number on a piece of paper.

"Okay, but I think I can handle it."

"I know. Okay, I'm gone. Bye," she said as she left the kitchen.

"Bye!" Letty called after her.

July took a deep breath as she began to suddenly feel very nervous. She smoothed down her hair and answered the door.

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tbc…


	34. The Date and Finding Leon

**Chapter 33: The Date and Finding Leon**

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Her jaw nearly hit the floor when she saw Vince. He was wearing some black slacks with a blue button up shirt. His hair was still everywhere but he had shaved and trimmed his beard so that it wasn't as scruffy as usual. He was holding a bouquet of flower in his hand and was staring at her.

"Hi," she said once she regained her ability to speak.

"Hey, uh, these are for you," he said handing her the bouquet.

"Tiger lilies, they're my favorite. How did you know?" she asked smelling them.

"I have my ways," Vince said with a smirk.

"Right," she said sarcastically and stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her.

"Let's go," he said holding his arm out so she could loop hers into his.

They walked to his car, got in, and he began to drive. They stopped in an unfamiliar area to July and Vince ushered her out of the car. It was rather dark and only a few of the street lamps gave off any light. He guided her to what looked like a run down, abandoned building.

"V, are you sure this is the place?" she asked as Vince opened the door and moved her inside.

"Yes. Just trust me," he said and she reluctantly nodded okay. He grabbed her hand and led her further into the building and into a room where a lone table sat with a lit candle. There were several candles around and she could dimly see that they were in a large room. Vince pulled out the chair and she sat down.

"Okay. You wait here," Vince said and disappeared before she could say anything. She heard some movements and then a light turned on. The pale light showed Vince sitting on a stool in the middle a stage that was in front of her. He was holding a guitar and looking slightly nervous.

"I've never done this before, so don't laugh."

When she didn't say anything, Vince began to pluck at the strings and a melody she didn't know began to fill the room. After a few beats, his began to sing; it was a low, mellow voice that was quiet but at the same time passionate. He sang her a song of a man who done wrong and was sorry for his actions and hoped he still had the chance to make it right. It was a little corny but heartfelt.

July sat with her heart in her throat; she was dumbfounded. No one had ever written her a song; sure Mike had sung to her, but he hadn't ever written a song for her. The fact that he'd written her a song kept repeating in her head. She didn't know what to say. She watched as Vince began to fidget under her gaze once the last note fell away to silence.

Vince set the guitar down and hopped off the stage to stand in front of her. He was nervous; he wasn't exactly sure how she was going to react. He didn't know what it was about July but there was something about her. There was something that clicked with him about her. Something that had him practically baring his soul and being more open than he ever remembered.

"No one has ever written me a song. It was beautiful. Thank you," she said and caressed his cheek with her hand and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

"So does this mean I'm forgiven?"

"Yeah," she said staring into his eyes.

"Good," he mumbled and as he leaned in to give her a kiss, her tummy rumbled.

"Guess I'm hungry," she laughed, flushing lightly in embarrassment.

"Food, that's right," Vince said and disappeared again. He came back pushing a cart. He unloaded the two plates onto the table and lifted the covers. "Dinner is served."

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It was after ten when Vince was walking her up to her door, her flowers swinging idly in her hand that wasn't clasped in Vince's and both of them walking slower as they approached her door.

"So I have a question," July said as she opened the door and let it hang open.

"What?"

"How did you get an empty place with a stage?"

"I know some people. I have my connections," Vince answered with a wink.

"And the flowers?" she asked lightly waving the bouquet in her hands.

"Hey, a man's gotta keep some of his secrets."

"Yeah, sure. So, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

There was a pause and slowly they leaned towards each other. Their lips meet for a brief kiss that left both of them smiling.

"Night V."

"Night," he said and watched as she went inside and closed the door. He then turned and walked the short distance to his house, humming underneath his breath.

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_Earlier that night:_

Letty kept true to her word and cleaned the kitchen, making sure to leave it how it had first been. July had just left a half hour ago. She hoped everything was going okay and that Vince hadn't screwed up, well, at least not too badly. She left the kitchen; she still had her job to do.

Grabbing her keys, she headed out to her car and started it up, taking comfort in the steady purr of the engine. Where would Leon be? She doubled checked to make sure his car wasn't over at Dom's and found it still missing. She pulled out and began to drive, hoping that something would pull her in the right direction.

Luck was on her side that night because about an hour after driving around, when she was on the verge of giving up, she spotted his car in a hotel parking lot and parked next to it. There was no way of finding Leon by knocking on the doors, but she was half tempted to just start yelling his name until he popped his head out a door; but then again, not having to deal with the cops tonight would be a plus. With a sigh, she hitched up her pants to resettle on her hips and headed towards the hotel's office.

"Can I help you?" the young woman behind the desk asked as Letty stepped through the door.

"Yeah, my friend is staying here and I forgot what room he was in. It's his birthday and I want to surprise him by showing up early. We haven't seen each other in a year," she said laying it on thick, hoping the girl would buy the excuse.

"Oh, that's sweet. Can I get his name? I could look him up."

"Leon Thompson."

"Let me see." The tapping of her manicure nails on the keyboard lasted a few seconds and then she turned back towards Letty. "He's on the second floor, room 218."

"Thank you so much," Letty said giving her the best smile she could manage.

Letty turned to the elevator and began her journey to the second floor. The elevator stopped and she got out and stood in the hall. Then it hit her, what they heck was she going to say to him? Well, she had never been much of a planner and decided to wing it. She easily located his room and hesitated outside of it. Finally, she raised her fist and knocked on the door.

"Room service, finally," Leon grumbled as he opened the door and a surprised expression came over him as he saw Letty standing in the doorway. "Oh, it's you. Let me guess, you want to talk," he said with no bitterness in his voice.

"Yeah, I was hoping we could," she said her throat feeling tight.

Leon gestured her in and shut the door behind her. He shut off the TV and sat on the bed. Letty sat at the small table and looked out the window. A silence took over the room and neither one of them said anything for a while, each lost in what to say.

Letty finally broke the silence and looked over at him. "Le, I know I hurt you, and I wanted to say I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"I know," he said with resignation. "And I got what you mean about loving someone and not being in love with them. It's like Mia and me. I love her, but I'm not in love with her," Leon said looking up at her and seeing the tears coming to her eyes. Letty turned away, not wanting Leon to see her. She didn't cry in front of people.

"I don't deserve to be friends with you," she whispered.

"And why is that?"

"Because you're better than me. If this would have been the other way around, I would never have been as understanding as you are," Letty answered. "I'm supposed to be the hard ass who doesn't take anyone's shit, and I'm so tired. I'm tired of pretending that nothing affects me. I'm tired of people talking about me. I'm tired of loving Dom. I just wish there was some way for me to take it away, cut that little chunk of my heart out," Letty growled, digging her fingers into her chest as she surrendered to the tears she couldn't stop. All the pain came surging back, overloading her and she didn't have enough strength to keep up her mask.

"I know baby," Leon said walking over to her and picking her up. He sat on the bed and cradled her in his lap.

"Every time we get together, he promises not to cheat, to be loyal, and every time it's the same. I thought that if I let him go and tried to move on, I could do it but I couldn't. It hurt me to be leading you on and it was killing me."

"I know," Leon said rocking her.

"And I'm so sorry Leon. I am so sorry that I couldn't be what I needed to be for you," she said looking him in the eyes. Her normally hard brown eyes were puffy and red rimmed, and Leon's heart clenched as Letty blamed herself again and he shook his head at her.

"Don't worry about me. I'm strong. Just worry about yourself. You'll be able to beat this, trust me. You're a fighter. You have determination to do anything you put your mind to. Now come on, you need to sleep," Leon said unzipping her boots and taking them off.

"Okay," Letty agreed in a sleepy voice, suddenly exhausted. She allowed Leon to maneuver her into the bed and snuggled into the pillow as he pulled the blankets over her. She peeked open one eye to see him watching her. "Thanks Leon."

"No worries baby, now go to sleep. We'll work out everything in the morning," Leon said with a small smile.

"M'kay," Letty said closing her eye and falling into a dreamless sleep.

Leon sat for a while watching her. She looked so different when she slept. The hard lines of life left her face and she looked innocent and peaceful. He brushed her hair back from her face and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

---------------------------

_Back at July's house:_

July closed the door and couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face. She began to hum the song that Vince had sung her. She wandered into the living room and noticed the lack of Letty.

"Letty? Letty, you here?" she yelled up the stairs. When the house stayed quiet she knew that Letty wasn't there. She ventured into the kitchen and checked the answering machine and sure enough there was a message.

"Hey JJ, it's me, Mike," Mike's tired voice came from the speaker. "I'm at the hospital. Mom's in critical condition. It was a hit and run. They don't know the exact details since there were no eyewitnesses. The doctors are trying to be optimistic but there isn't much they can do right now. Uh…she's broken a lot of bones and there is quite a bit of internal damage. I'll call you tomorrow when I know some more. Don't worry. I love you, bye." The machine clicked and sounded a beep.

Vince's dinner had been a nice distraction and reality hit her with a slap. Fear began to make its home in her mind. She was scared for Mike's mom; she had always been like a second mom to her.

"July! I know you're home!" Mia's voice shouted outside the door as the pounding on the door finally registered in July's brain. July sprinted to the door and opened it up. "Hey Mia. Come in," July said closing the door behind her. She flopped onto the couch and heard Mia settle close to her.

"Leon called and said that Letty was staying with him for the night."

"With him?" July asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not like that. She had a breakdown, she was a wreck, and Leon couldn't send her home so she's just sleeping at his hotel room. He promised they'd be back in the morning for work."

"So they are all okay now?" July asked.

"Yeah. And I've been meaning to ask you, where's Mike?" Mia asked looking around.

"Letty didn't tell you?"

"No. I think the guys might know but she looked really lost during lunch but I couldn't talk to her because we had a rush."

"He's gone," she uttered quietly.

"Gone? Why?" Mia asked confused.

"There was an accident. A hit and run. His mom's in the hospital," she said saying it out loud for the first time, making it real.

"Is she going to be okay?" Mia asked taking one of July's hands.

"I don't know. She's in critical condition and Mike said she's pretty bad. I'm just scared. I don't want to lose anyone. I've already lost enough people in my life," she trailed off, her eyes losing focus.

"Don't worry, if she's anything like Mike, she'll make it," Mia tried to reassure, giving her a hug.

"I think I'm going to go to bed," July said letting go of Mia.

"All right. I'll let myself out."

"Night," July said heading upstairs. She heard the front door close and entered her room. She quickly changed and flopped into bed. She huddled underneath the covers feeling cold but it had nothing to do with the temperature of the room. She moved around, not finding sleep until the early hours of the morning.

---------------------------

July was woken up when someone bounced on her bed. She gave a groan and pulled the blanket tighter around her and snuggling her face into the pillow, trying to shut it out.

"Wake up JJ, or we're going to be late," Letty ordered, still bouncing on the bed.

"Hmm?" July mumbled, her eyelids fluttering open to see Letty standing on the end of her bed with her hands on her hips. "Oh, hey Letty." July yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with the back of her hands.

"Leon's downstairs making breakfast."

"Leon's making breakfast?" she asked thinking she might of heard wrong, but Letty just bobbed her head yes back at her. "Oh. So what happened?" July asked sitting up and Letty sat down next to her.

"Well, we talked and we decided that me staying here is a good idea for a while, if that's okay with you."

"Yeah that's no problem. So everything's okay?"

"Yeah. I still feel really bad though," Letty admitted with a small frown.

"I don't know Leon all that well but he seems pretty understanding," July said getting up and stretching.

"Yeah, he is. So hurry up and get dressed or there won't be any pancakes left," Letty said leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

July entered the kitchen ten minutes later to find Letty already stuffing her face and Leon flipping the last of the pancakes off the stove.

"I swear if you tell anyone I cooked for you, I'll hurt you," Leon said pointing at her with the spatula. July and Letty cracked up laughing at him.

"Yeah, whatever you say. We should get him an apron that says 'Kiss the chef'," July said sitting down and helping herself to a plate of pancakes.

"You do that baby doll and I expect you to be the first one in line," Leon tossed back, puckering up at her.

"In your dreams," July replied, giving him a grin through a mouthful of pancakes. Leon just rolled his eyes and muttered back at her.

---------------------------

tbc…


	35. The Truth and Making Pancakes

**Chapter 34: The Truth and Making Pancakes**

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The week went by in a blur. Her days were filled with painting the car and shamelessly flirting with Vince during work and sitting together, talking during lunch. She got the paint job done by Friday and Jesse helped her start designing some modifications.

Every day she got a call from Mike, each one grimmer than the one before. By Friday, she was an exhausted mess and didn't know what to do. There were races that night but she didn't feel much like going and had already talked to Dom about it.

She entered the living room after showering to find Vince sitting on the couch, flicking through the channels.

"Hey," she mumbled, falling tiredly onto the couch next to him.

"Hey," he said wrapping an arm around her as she leaned into him. It had amazed him how surprisingly easy it was to be with July. They'd only been together for a week but it felt so much longer than that. He pressed a kiss to her head as she wiggled beside him, fitting herself perfectly against him, her hand resting on his chest and her head pillowed on his shoulder.

"So when are you leaving for races?" she asked and he could hear the pout in her voice.

"I'm not," he answered looking down at her.

"What? Why?" she questioned, bringing her head up to look back at him.

"Because I'm staying here with you."

"Really?"

Vince nodded his head and kissed her lightly on the lips in response.

"I'm surprise Dom let you stay. He was really reluctant about me not going," she commented with a frown.

"I don't need Dom's permission to stay," Vince said just as there was a pounding at her door.

"Right," July shot back with a roll of her eyes. "And how much you want to bet that's Dom?" July got up and answered the door, stopping Dom in mid-motion as he raised his hand to start knocking again.

"Careful, you might break my door," she tried joking.

Dom gave her a look and then peered inside. "Where's Vince?"

"I'm in here," Vince called out, and July knew well enough that he wasn't getting up. She gestured Dom in and followed after him into the living room.

"Mia told me you're not coming to races," Dom said standing with his arms crossed. July hesitated at entering the room, not wanting to get in the middle of their confrontation.

"That's right. I'm staying with JJ tonight," Vince replied back as he got up.

"Uh huh. Are you forgetting something?"

Vince tilted his head for a second, and scratched at his beard. "No, I don't think so."

"We show up together, we leave together. We're a team," Dom growled out.

"I think I know that better than anyone," Vince said absently rubbing the scar the snaked around his arm, catching Dom's attention and his eyes gave the tiniest flinch.

"Fine, just tonight," he said shooting a glance at July. "But next week we all go, together."

"Sure," Vince replied flippantly.

Dom left apprehensively, not likely the idea much but guilt was a great motivator.

"Good luck Dom." July shouted after him as he walked down her porch. He gave her a smile and nodded at her before walking to his house. July closed the door and went back into the living room. "You're lucky, he looked about ready to pound you."

"Yeah, but he wouldn't have," Vince said as he grabbed her and pulling her towards him.

"Hey," Letty greeted coming into the living room and frowning at July as she noticed her outfit. "You guys not going to races?" she asked zipping up her boots.

"No, we're just going to stay and watch some movies," July answered.

"Bet Dom had a fit. That was him pounding earlier, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, you got that one right, Let," Vince said as they shared amused smiles.

"Now kids, I'll be home later, behave yourselves," Letty teased as she dodged a pillow that July threw at her. She held up her hands in surrender as Vince picked up a pillow. "Okay, I'm going. I'll see you guys later," she said and disappeared out the door.

"So Vinnie, what do you want to watch?" July said.

"You're asking for it, better get ready for it firecracker!" Vince said as he started to advance on her.

July felt her body freeze as the word 'firecracker' echoed in her ears. It wasn't like she hadn't heard it spoken before but when Vince said it, it broke something loose in her and she felt herself spiraling into blackness, into the unknown.

Vince was helpless as he watched her face turn white and she began to fall. He caught her before she hit the ground and cradled her, gently lowering her to the floor. Her eyes were blank and wide open. The slight rise and fall of her chest told him she was still breathing, but it was shallow and his hand against her wrist felt her heart beating erratically.

"July, wake up! Please!" he yelled, shaking her lightly.

July experienced the same thing that happened at Arnold's house when she had fainted. She watched as her memories appeared before and correct themselves. She watched as the images of Sam and Mary faded and were replaced by her real parents. Everything fell into place and it felt right. She watched as all the memories rushed back and she spent what felt like hours reliving them when it was only seconds.

Finally, the images cleared and she was left looking at Vince, who looked like he was shouting at her. She couldn't hear him, the sensation making her feel like her head was underwater. She tried to say something but found she couldn't. She felt like she was choking and after what seemed like an eternity, she gulped in a big breath of air and resurfaced to find Vince cradling her to him.

"Vince?" she whispered quietly.

"July? You okay?" he questioned, smoothing back her hair, his eyes still wide.

"I'm okay," she said reaching up with a shaky hand to cradle his cheek. He nuzzled his face into her hand.

"What happened?" he asked, concern written on his face.

"I need some water first," she said, her throat feeling dry and rough.

Vince lifted her onto the couch and left. He reappeared seconds later with a glass of water and handed it to her. She sipped it carefully and then set it on the coffee table.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked sitting next to her and brushing her hair out of her face.

"Yeah, this is not the first time it's happened." July let out a shaky breath and pulled Vince down next to her. "It's time for you to know everything," she whispered.

July spent the next hour pouring out her life story to Vince, about how she found out she was adopted to meeting Amy again. She told him everything, hardly leaving a detail out. When she was finally done, she sat back, drained but feeling like a weight was lifted from her shoulders.

"Wow," Vince said sitting back too.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"So does anyone else know?"

"Just Mike and Dom," she admitted almost unwillingly.

"Dom knows?" Vince repeated, slightly upset that he wasn't the first person she told, well after Mike, since that was a given.

"I only told Dom because he kept asking questions and wouldn't leave it alone. I got mad and just kind of blurted everything out. I didn't tell him because I wanted to."

Vince was quiet or a moment, still letting everything sink in. "So why haven't you told anyone else?" he finally asked.

"Because then everyone would be like 'poor lost little girl' and I don't need a pity party," July began to explain. "I just wanted everyone to treat me normal and not make exceptions for me because they felt sorry for me."

Vince gave an understanding nod. He knew that if the tables were turned, he would have felt the same way.

"So we're okay?" July asked, biting her lip.

"We're more than okay," Vince said kissing her lightly.

"Good. So… what movie are you going to put in?" she asked curling up and batting her eyelashes at him.

Vince couldn't help but give a laugh as he kissed her again. They finally decided on a movie, and he did get up and put it in. They ended up falling asleep on the couch. Vince was stretch out length wise on the couch, July lay next to him, half on top of him as she rested her head on his chest, her black hair fanned out on Vince's shoulder as his arm curled possessively around her waist. This was the exact way that Letty found them when she got home. She quietly turned off the movie and covered them with a blanket. She stood admiring them for a second before turning off the lone lamp and heading upstairs.

---------------------------

July woke up and found herself resting on something warm and solid. She rubbed herself into the warmth after realizing it was Vince. He was still asleep and she could hear him snoring very softly. She propped her chin up and watched as he slept.

It was a few minutes later when Vince began to wake up. She felt him stretch out his body underneath her, his muscles stretching taut and then relaxing, his outstretched arms curling around her again. Vince could feel July's eyes on him and slowly opened his eyes, savoring the moment. It was one of the few times he'd woken up with someone beside him.

"Hey," July whispered softly.

"Morning," he replied, his voice a low rumble.

"So I'm guessing we both fell asleep," she commented, amusement glittering in her eyes.

"I think so," Vince said, his breathing making July slowly rise and fall with his chest.

"So what are you making me for breakfast?" she asked and could feel the rumble of his laughter.

"You really want me to cook?" he asked incredulously. "You might die, or get really sick."

July rolled her eyes at his typical reply. "I figured that much. I just asked to see what you'd say."

"And what if I had said I was a really great cook?" he challenged back.

"Then I'd probably say you were lying."

"Hey, I can cook…something."

"Vince, I'm sorry to tell you that cereal and take out don't count," she teased, leaning towards him.

"You sure?" he asked focusing on her lips and had to suppress a moan when her tongue darted out to moisten them.

"Uh huh," she mumbled, hovering her lips over Vince's until he couldn't take it any longer and grabbed her face to pull her down for a fiery kiss. July could feel Vince's tongue trace her bottom lip and she slowly parted her mouth.

They started slow but their kisses began to build, hands delving under shirts, and July pulled back before they went farther than she wanted to. They were both breathing a little harder and July could feel that her face was flush. Vince's eyes were hooded and he brought his hand down to caress her cheek, pressing one last kiss to her lips.

"Come on, I'm going to teach you how to make breakfast," July said abruptly.

Vince blinked, trying to remember what they had been talking about. "Right, breakfast."

"Yeah, I'm going to show you how to cook," she repeated and saw the apprehensive look flutter over Vince's face. "Come on, it's not that bad, plus I'm teaching you," she assured, standing up and pulling on Vince's hand until he sat up.

"Fine, but I don't think it's a good idea," he grumbled standing up.

"Quit being a big baby, or I might have to start calling you Vinnie," she said with a wink and grabbed his hand. She started to walk to the kitchen, a reluctant Vince trailing behind her. She let his hand go and grabbed everything they were going to need to make pancakes. Vince watched as she put a frying pan on the stove and set a bowl on the counter.

"Okay, this is easy," she started turning back to him. "We're making pancakes, which are the simplest thing. Now come here Mr. Macho Man," she instructed, crooking her finger at him. Vince walked towards her, unable to do differently. "Since you're taller than me I'm going to stand in front of you and walk you through it." She turned back to face the counter and felt Vince stand directly behind her, making her heart beat just a little faster. His hands settled on her hips but she grabbed them with her hands. She then started to make the batter, causing Vince to move even closer and force her towards the counter.

"What next?" he asked into her ear, his breath a warm caress against her skin.

"Now we cook," she said as she let go of one of his hands and moved towards the stove, the bowl of batter in one hand. She heated up the pan and melted some butter in it. Grabbing Vince's hand again, she spooned in some batter into the pan. "When the middle starts to bubble, you flip them," she said stepping out of his arms to grab a plate.

Vince waited as July grabbed a plate before coming back over and setting it next to the stove. She stood in front of him again and grabbed his hand, both waiting for the pancakes to be ready to turn. When they finally were, she helped him flip them. She let them cook on the other side before scooping them out of the pan and onto the plate.

"Your turn," July said, holding out the spatula to him.

"Hey, I never agreed to do anything," Vince protested, holding his hands up.

"V, come on, it's just pancakes, they're not that hard," she said but Vince still refused. "I can't believe that Leon can make pancakes and you can't."

"Leon can make pancakes?"

"Oh crap, I wasn't suppose to tell you that," she muttered with a guilty look, but figuring the damage was already done, she continued on. "Yes, Leon can make pancakes. He made some for us when he was over. Maybe I should go get him and ask him to make me breakfast," she suggested with a raised eyebrow.

"All right, all right, I'll try," he growled, taking the spatula from her.

July moved away from the stove, sat on the counter next to it, watching as Vince made pancakes. A few minutes later he put a golden pancake on top of July's.

"Happy now?" he asked setting the spatula down.

"Very," she answered grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards her. He stood between her legs and felt them cross behind him. "Told ya you could do it," she murmured against his lips and then kissed him.

"Well, if this is my reward, I'll happily make another," Vince mumbled in between kisses.

July pulled back to chuckle. She gave him one more kiss and then unwrapped her legs from around him. "Sit, I'll finish making the pancakes."

"Hmm…food or keep kissing you, tough choice." Vince pressed forward again, capturing her lips.

"Good to hear it," she replied, before pushing him away and hopping off the counter as he finally stepped back.

She could feel his eyes watching her as she bustled around the kitchen, taking out the syrup and butter while still cooking the pancakes. July finish making the pancakes and set the large pile on the table. Vince gave her a peck on the cheek before digging into his stack. Letty walked in just as they were finishing.

"Morning," she said as she grabbed a plate from the cabinet and grabbed some pancakes.

"Guess who actually made a pancake?" July asked turning to her and eyeing at Vince.

"No way!" Letty exclaimed with a stunned expression.

"Hey, you don't need to go around telling everyone," Vince grumbled.

"Yeah, we need to protect your manly reputation," July said patting him on the hand. Vince scowled at her but the grin that threatened to show let her know he wasn't mad.

"Well Coyote, looks like you're shaping up," Letty commented, sitting down. Vince raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything.

"So what do you want to do today?" Vince asked July.

"Hey, don't you have plans with Amy?" Letty reminded.

"That's right. Yeah, Amy wants to hang out today. I don't know what we are doing but you could probably come with," July suggested.

"I don't know," Vince trailed off.

"Come on, please?" she whined, pouting out her lips.

"Fine," he agreed after a moment. "I'll go get showered and be back in a few."

"Okay," she said, giving him a kiss and smiled after him as he left out the back door.

"Well aren't you two just cute," Letty mocked.

"Whatever," July said with an embarrassed grin. "I'm going to go get ready."

---------------------------

tbc…


	36. Bad News

**Chapter 35: Bad News**

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July came down the stairs, freshly showered and dressed, to find Vince and Jesse playing video games in her living room. She plopped down in a sofa chair, Vince looking up at her as she did so.

"Hey, I brought Jesse along, he wanted to go out and do something. I hope you don't mind."

"It's no problem. Did Letty leave?" she asked looking around.

"Yeah, she went down to the garage. There's a car that needs to be done by this afternoon and she said she'd work it," Vince answered turning back to the TV.

"Well, I'm going to go clean the kitchen. Jesse, you make sure you kick his ass, all right?"

"Will do," Jesse replied, still staring at the TV.

July headed into the kitchen and quickly picked up and washed the dishes. She's just finished putting the last dish on the counter rack to dry when the doorbell rang. She dried her hands off and then answered the door. "Hey Amy," she greeted, giving the girl in the doorway a hug.

"Hey," Amy said pushing back her sunglasses, revealing her brown eyes, and rested them in her curly red hair that was done up in a messy bun.

"I was wondering if it was okay if I brought Vince and Jesse with us?" July asked holding open the door and motioning to the guys in the living room.

"That's cool," Amy said with a shrug. "The more the merrier."

"Thanks. Guys, are you coming?" July prompted.

"Yeah," Vince hollered and soon him and Jesse appeared.

"Amy, this is Vince and Jesse," July said making a quick introduction. July saw Amy's eyes skim over Vince and immediately land on Jesse. She could see the small smirk that came to her lips and filed it away to ask Amy about later.

"So you got any ideas where you want to head to July?" Amy asked taking her eyes off Jesse.

"I want to have some fun. You guys have an amusement park nearby?"

"Yeah, there's the boardwalk about twenty minutes out," Amy answered, waving her hand behind her.

"I know where it is, but I'll take Jesse with me in my car and follow you guys," Vince said to July.

She nodded okay, knowing that Vince wasn't really one to sit in the passenger or back seat. "We'll meet you there," July replied and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Vince smiled at her and then dragged Jesse out the door.

"Why didn't you tell me you hung out with Toretto's team?" Amy asked as soon as Vince and Jesse were out of hearing range.

"Does it matter?" July asked with a frown as she closed the front door and the two started to walk to Amy's car. It was a dark purple VW Golf.

"Duh! Yeah it does. They are the best in street racing."

"Does Max race?" July asked with a quirked eyebrow and held back the urge to laugh.

"He tries, but let's just say he doesn't always hold up to his nickname," Amy answered laughing as they got in the car and she pulled away from the curb. July looked in the side mirror and saw Vince was already behind them.

"So you go to races then?"

"Sometimes, when I tag along with Max or when I feel like it. But I don't know jack about cars, just how to drive them. So is Vince your boyfriend?"

July bit her lips as she hesitated a moment to answer. "I think so. We haven't exactly declared anything but I think so."

"So what about Jesse?"

"Jesse? He's awesome. He's super smart when it comes to cars and stuff. He's cool to hang out with. Not the biggest talker unless you start talking about something that really interests him and then you can't get him to shut up," July said while looking out the window.

"Is he single?" Amy asked as she took a left turn.

"Yeah, as far as I know. Why? You like him?" July questioned, turning to look at her friend.

"I just met him! But he's cute," she admitted with a giggle.

"You are such a girl," July mumbled as she rolled her eyes.

Soon they arrived at the boardwalk and paid an arm and a leg for all day parking. They had lost Vince in traffic but he had told her he knew where it was. They managed to find two slots near each other and Amy pulled into one. Getting out of the car, July felt the sun beating down on her and knew that it was going to get warm.

"Hey you got any sunscreen?" July asked shielding her eyes and looking over at Amy.

"Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing," Amy said before she disappeared into the car and reappeared with a bottle. She poured some onto her hands and then tossed the bottle to July, who caught it easily. They were both slather on the sunscreen when Vince pulled up. Both guys got out of the car and stared at the girls.

"If you're going to ogle you might as well help. I can't get my back," July complained as she gave the bottle to Vince and turned around. They guys helped the girls with the sunscreen and then put some on themselves, no one wanting to end up burned. Amy put the bottle back in the car and then locked it.

"So where to first?" she asked.

"Roller coaster?" July suggested. Amy and Jesse quickly agreed and only Vince gave out a groan.

"The roller coaster?"

"Come on, don't be a baby," July teased as she grabbed his hand and began walking toward the main entrance, Jesse and Amy following behind them.

They rode all the rides, ate too much cotton candy, and the guys won each girls stuffed animals. They made an amusing picture: Vince and Jesse each carrying a big stuffed animal while the girls walked ahead of them chatting. It was around four when they decided they were worn out and drove back to July's house.

"I don't think I've had that much fun in a while," Amy remarked from her sprawled out form on the floor, using the stuffed animal as a pillow.

"Bumper cars were awesome," Jesse piped in from his spot next to Amy.

"I think you gave me whip lash," July grumbled to Vince, who was sitting on the couch beside her.

"Aww, did I hurt the poor baby?" Vince asked mockingly.

"I'll give you hurt," July mumbled, making Vince laugh at her.

"As much fun it has been, I should get going. Dad will flip if I'm not home soon," Amy said getting up. July nodded her head and began to get up to walk Amy out.

"I'll walk her to her car," Jesse insisted quickly and got up.

July shared a smirk with Amy, communicating with her eyes that she wanted details later and sat back down. Jesse and Amy left out the front door, leaving July and Vince alone.

"So are you thinking what I'm thinking?" July asked once the door closed.

"Maybe," Vince replied as he scooted closer to her and kissed her.

"No, I meant about Jesse and Amy," July said laughing.

"What about them?"

"Are you blind? Or were you not paying attention to them at all today?"

"No I saw them. So what, they like each other," Vince said shrugging his shoulders.

"Guys…I need a girl to talk to," July moaned as the front door opened again and Jesse walked back in with a happy, dazed look on his face. He sat down in a chair and was silent.

"Yo Jess, you still alive?" Vince asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Jesse answered, still smiling.

"Why are you so happy?" he questioned and all Jesse did in response was hold up a piece of paper that was in his hand.

"I told you," July sing-songed to Vince with a smug smile.

"I think I'm going to go home, see what Leon's doing," Jesse said getting up and leaving, that smile still on his face.

"Finally, alone," Vince said pulling her closer.

"Man, do you have a one track mind or what?"

"What can I say?" he mumbled against her lips. He started to trail kisses down her neck when the phone started to ring.

"Hmm, Vince, the phone," July murmured.

"Let the machine get it," he said before nibbling her neck again.

"It could be important. I have to get it. It might be Mike," July answered back quietly.

"He can wait." Vince captured her lips again, intent on distracting her of thinking of anyone but him.

July struggled against him, torn between answering the phone and kissing Vince. Worry finally won out in the end and she pushed against Vince again. "Please, it could Mike with news about his mom."

"All right. Go get the damn phone," Vince growled as he let her go and sat back on the couch. July gave him a pleading look before dashing into the kitchen and grabbing the phone.

"JJ?" Mike's voice came over the phone in a bare whisper before she had time to say anything.

"Mikey?"

"July, she's dead," Mike finally said and July felt a lump rise in her throat.

"What? No, that can't be," July cried, shaking her head in denial.

"She gained consciousness just long enough to say goodbye and then she…" Mike trailed off, the pain too much to finish the sentence.

"I'm coming," July said.

"I know."

"I'll pack a bag now, catch the next plane, and meet you at your house."

"All right. I'll see you soon then," Mike said.

"I love you Mikey," July whispered.

"Love you too. I'll see you when you get here," Mike replied back before the line went silent.

July hung up the phone and slowly slid down the wall, still shocked from the news. Sobs shook her body and hot tears began to fall down her cheeks as she sat silently in pain.

"July?"

July turned her tear filled eyes up to see Vince standing in the archway, all anger gone. He took one look at her and came over to her. He sat on the floor and scooped her up into his arms. "What happened?"

"Mike's…mom…is…dead," she answered between sobs as she clung to him.

Vince knew there was nothing he could say that would make it all better. Instead he wrapped his arms tighter around her and smoothed down her hair with one hand, pressing a kiss against her forehead.

"Are you going to go?" Vince asked quietly and July nodded her head against his chest.

He held her, not saying a word as all as she cried out her grief onto his shoulder. He muttered soothing words and soon, her tears stopped as suddenly as they had come.

"I have to be strong," July said more to herself than Vince. He watched as she put herself back together, wiping her eyes and reaching up for the phone. He was quiet as she made arrangements for a flight.

"I'll drive you to the airport," he said as soon as she hung up.

"Thanks." She gave him a wobbly smile and a quick kiss.

They got up and July quickly scribbled a note for Letty and set it on the table. Vince followed her to her room and watched as she absentmindedly packed a bag.

"How long do you think you'll…" Vince started to ask.

"A couple days. I'll call you when I get there," she answered as she looked around the room to see what else she needed and then zipped up the bag with shaky hands.

Vince grabbed the bag from her and took her other hand in his. He gave it a squeeze and then they walked out to his car. The ride to the airport was quiet. July got her ticket and they sat quietly at her terminal, waiting for her plane to be called.

"You'll let everyone know what's up?" July asked, moving closer to him on the bench.

Vince nodded, kissing her forehead and pulling her closer to him. They sat in comfortable silence until her plane was called. They stood up and Vince just looked at July. Her eyes were slightly red and her pouty lips were set in a sad expression.

"I'm going to miss you," she said as she dropped her bag and threw her arms around him.

Vince gripped her tight and took in a deep breath, trying to savor her smell and the way she felt in his arms. He kissed her slowly, letting the kiss say everything he was unable to as he slide his fingers through her silky hair while hers tangled with the strands at the nape of his neck. He pulled away when he felt the wetness on his cheeks and gently brushed away her tears with him thumbs.

"I'll miss you too. You better go," Vince crocked out, finding it suddenly hard to talk.

"I'll call you," she said giving him one last kiss before letting him go and grabbing her bag. She turned and walked up to the attendant, mirroring the actions that Mike had done when she was last here. She turned back and gave Vince one last look. She saw him standing with his arms crossed, his eyes trained solely on her.

Vince watched as she blew a kiss at him and he smirked at her before she disappeared from view. He stood watching the door she left into and couldn't help but feel that a part of him was leaving with her. They'd grown so close in the few weeks they'd been together. It should have scared him how much he was going to miss her but his only thought was on getting her back soon.

He left the airport and slowly made his way through traffic, grateful when he rolled into the driveway. He entered the house to find everyone in the kitchen and he sat down.

"What's up V?" Dom asked when Vince rejected the food that was offered to him.

"July, she's gone," Vince said pausing. "Mike's mom died and she had to go. I just took her to the airport," Vince answered as he cradled his head in his hands.

"So she just left like that?"

"Her best friend's mom died, of course she just left," Mia said angrily.

"I'm going to my room," Vince commented to no one in particular and got up.

"When is she going to be back?" Mia asked softly.

"I don't know. She just said a couple of days," Vince answered and then left the room.

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July arrived in Texas in the afternoon. She rented a car from the airport and pulled into Mike's driveway late that evening. The lights were on in the living room but that was the only sign of life in the Bradley residence. Mike was probably in there waiting for her alone, his dad having ran out on them when he was little.

She parked her car and entered the small house without knocking, not out of disrespect but just because it was second nature. She quietly dropped her bag near the door and entered the living room to find Mike sitting passively on the couch. He instantly stood up, making quick work of the distance between them. No words were said as they embraced each other, but they understood nonetheless.

July shed her own tears as Mike silently fell apart in her arms, his arms tightly wrapped around her. Her own tears long dried out before Mike's did, but she continued to hold him and rubbed his back until his sobs ebbed and he slowly pulled back, not lifting his head at her.

"I would ask how are you but that's just a stupid question," July commented, smiling sadly.

Mike looked up and gave the smallest of smiles as he pulled her towards the couch and they sat together.

"Where's Vanessa?" July asked quietly and Mike's answering bark of laughter was harsh sounding.

"Don't get me started on that two timing tramp. I came back to find her with some other guy."

"Oh Mikey, I'm sorry," July said as her heart broke a little bit more for Mike.

"Me too. I have to ask you something," he said suddenly, sitting up, his eyes searching hers.

"Anything."

"Do you think I could come and live with you?"

"Did you think you even had to ask? Of course you can live with me. I wouldn't expect you to stay out here by yourself," July replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

Mike bobbed his head in thanks. "Mom already had arrangements made, so all we have to do is go. Everything is set for tomorrow, at eleven," Mike told her, his voice emotionless.

July couldn't think of anything to say and just gave his hand another squeeze and rested her head on his shoulder, silently letting him know she was there for him. The two sat in silence for a long while, until the clock in the hall chimed.

"I think I am going to go to sleep," Mike said as the last chime died away.

"Okay."

"The guest room is ready for you," he told her as he got up.

"Thanks." July got up and gave him another hug, holding on an extra moment longer. "Night," she finally told him and let him go.

"Night," Mike answered back and then disappeared down the hall.

With an exhausted sigh, July pulled out her cell phone and dialed Vince's number. It rang once before he picked it up.

"July?" he said expectantly.

"Yeah V, it's me," July replied, laying back on the couch.

They talked for a little while before they said night and she hung up. She grabbed her bag from the front door and went to the guest room. It was the same as always. She changed and then got into the bed, preparing for a sleepless night.

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tbc…


	37. Drama

**Chapter 36: Drama**

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July was up earlier than she would have liked, sleep eluding her just as she thought it would have. She took a quick shower, dressing in a simple black dress before leaving her room for the living room. She turned on the TV simply for the noise and listened. After a while she heard Mike get up and the shower turn on. It was only a little while later when he entered the living and sat down next to her after a bit, dressed in a conservative black suit. No words passed between them but they shared sad smiles.

Neither spoke a word about breakfast. They sat and listened to the TV until it got close to eleven. Mike let July drive to the cemetery, which let her know just how bad Mike was.

The funeral seemed to drag on, when all July wanted was for it to end quickly. It was hard standing there, looking at the casket that held someone you loved being spoken over and sent into the ground. It was even harder to keep herself together that she couldn't even begin to imagine what Mike was feeling.

There were many people around the grave, a larger crowd than she would have thought of. July saw a glimpse of Sam and Mary but she didn't try to seek them out or talk to them. July just held Mike's hand and stood beside him, speaking up for him when he stood silent. They made small talk with a few people that were close to Mike's mother and then they left, neither one looking back.

The next two days were filled with preparation for Mike to leave with her, which was fortunate. It kept both of them occupied, but there were moments when July found Mike staring at something and wouldn't hear her until she touched his shoulder. It made her worry about him.

Soon they had Mike's house taken care of and his stuff was packed and shipped to her house. It was early Wednesday morning when they found themselves at the airport waiting for their flight. They sat in chairs facing the runway, watching as the other planes came and went.

"JJ?" Mike said, never taking his eyes off the plane that was beginning to take off.

"Yeah?" July replied turning her head towards him but he never looked back at her.

"Mom said something that didn't make sense," he said quietly.

"What did she say?"

"Something about her job being done and whatnot. That it was over. I couldn't really make sense of it. It was probably nothing," Mike said, shaking his head and finally looking over at her, confusion written on his face.

"It probably was. Don't worry about it," she answered, patting his arm, but she couldn't help but wonder what Mike's mom had been talking about. The announcement of their plane boarding sent the thought from her mind and she herded Mike towards the attendant, arguing about who go the window seat.

Soon they were landing in LA. July had called ahead and Vince was going to pick them up. The plane touched down around seven and July couldn't help but feel like she was home. They picked up their luggage and walked outside, waiting for Vince's car to come around. Slowly, the blue Maxima pulled up next to them and July left all her stuff on the sidewalk to hug Vince as he got out of his car. It felt like months since she last had seen him. He was equally receiving and gave her a sound kiss before letting her go.

Vince offered Mike a handshake and the two of them put the luggage in the trunk together. They piled into the Maxima, Mike opting to sit in the back seat, and headed home.

The ride home was quiet. They arrived at July's house and Vince helped carry in their bags. The entryway was littered with Mike's boxes. With all three carrying boxes, they were able to get everything up to what would become Mike's room in only a few trips. July took her stuff to her room and changed into some work clothes as the guys carried up the heaviest of the boxes.

"Hey Mike?" she called out as she came out of her room and joined Vince at the top of the stairs.

"Yeah?" Mike said, his head popping out of the room.

"I'm going to head down to the garage to work, want to come with? I still got work to do on the Soarer," she asked as she put her hair up into a ponytail.

"No, I think I'll stay and get my stuff unpacked," Mike answered dejectedly before disappearing back into his room.

July frowned at Mike through the door. This wasn't Mike at all. He would have jumped at any opportunity to work on cars, to be near cars. She let out a defeated sigh and felt Vince's arm curl around her waist and pull her to him. She turned and tucked herself against him.

"I don't know what to do. All I want to do is make it better," July said against his shirt.

"Just give him time. That's all you can do," Vince said as he rubbed his hand down her back. She leaned up and gave him a kiss, her lips lingering on his before completely pulling back.

"How do you do that?" she asked with a pout.

"Do what?"

"Know the right thing to say," she said and Vince laughed.

"I don't think I could say I always know the right thing to say. Remember my little mess over Max and Mike?" he reminded with a raised eyebrow.

July laughed at him, shaking her head. "Oh yeah, that's right. How could I forget? Well, you know the right things to say some of the time. Better?" she asked with a smirk.

"Definitely," Vince replied before planting a kiss on her lips. "Let's get to work. Dom'll kill us if we don't get there soon," he said lopping his hands in hers.

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The day went by slowly and July and Jesse got most of the modification on her car done. Just a tweak or two more and then they would be finished. She hadn't allowed anyone except Jesse to see the car. He was impressed so far, and that was saying a lot. She had to admit that Jesse was by far the greatest at engines. He always seemed to be two steps ahead of her.

She gave Vince a kiss goodbye and then she and Letty headed up to her house. The house was quiet when they entered and Mike was nowhere to been seen.

"I bet he's still up in his room," July concluded as she returned from looking in the empty kitchen.

"Why don't you take a shower and make dinner while I talk to him?" Letty suggested.

"You think you could get to him?" July asked with hope.

"Yeah, I know how he's feeling right now, not saying that you don't but I know what it's like to see someone you love die," Letty said looking down at her calloused hands and then back up to see sympathy shining in July's eyes.

July nodded her head okay, giving Letty a weak smile before heading upstairs. Letty followed after her and paused outside Mike's door. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and knocked on the door. There was no answer and after a few seconds, she slowly opened the door.

The room was dark and the curtains were shut around the window, only allowing a ray or two of the fading daylight to enter. She saw Mike sitting on the bed, still as a statue. His boxes still sat on the floor, not touched at all. Closing the door silently behind her, she gradually treaded her way to him. He seemed not to notice her presence at all and if he did, he didn't give any sign of indication. His eyes stared straight ahead as if he were lost in some daydream and his only movements were the blinking of his eyes and the slow and steady rise of his chest.

Carefully as she could, she sat down next to him on the bed. The movement seemed to jar Mike from his catatonic state and he slowly turned his head to look at her. His ash gray eyes were hauntingly empty and Letty could see the dried tear marks down his cheeks. He just stared at her, his face solemn and didn't say a word. Letty cautiously grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers; even his skin was slightly cold. Mike looked down at their joined hands before looking back up at her.

"I'm sorry," Letty said quietly, her voice coming out in a bare whisper. Mike nodded his head and turned away. "If it helps any, I know what you're going through," she continued and Mike turned back to her, his eyes carrying a defiant look telling her that he didn't really believe her. Letty swallowed before speaking again. "Not many people know this but my mom died when I was younger." She paused, looking up at Mike to see his expression soften. "She died from cancer."

Letty closed her eyes and tried to suppress the emotions and memories that were beginning to swirl in her mind. "I had to watch her slowly deteriorate and wither away before my eyes. It might not have been the same but I still know how you feel." She opened her eyes to see Mike's eyes level with hers. "And I know that we don't know each other very well but, if you need to talk I'm here." Mike shook his head but remained silent. "I know it sounds cliché, so don't be making fun of me later, all right?" Letty said and managed to rouse a smirk out of Mike.

"Thanks," Mike said finally, his voice hoarse from disuse, and gave her hand a squeeze.

"So, what's with this not wanting to go down to the garage? There was this really nice car in today," Letty said as she began to tell him about the car and watched as Mike's eyes began to take interest. They continued to talk and she hoped that maybe she would be able to help him after all.

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It was Friday afternoon when everyone was hanging out in the garage, taking a break. It was unbelievably hot and they had taken to gathering around the fan in hopes of some relief. They were all talking and joking when July and Jesse came in and cleared their throats. Everyone stopped their talking and looked up.

"We're ready. Go out front and wait," July said before she disappeared into the back. Everyone felt excitement and anticipation fill the air. With July nor Jesse allowing anyone to see the car, they had all grown antsy about seeing it. Jesse led them to the front of the shop where the big garage door was open.

It was quiet and soon they heard the sounds of an engine. The engine's purr filled the street and came down the narrow drive down to the garage. What appeared to be a black car stopped in front of them, revving its engine before shutting off. They stepped back to allow the door to open and were amazed when the doors opened vertically and July stepped out. Jesse had the biggest grin on his face and she couldn't stop the one that appeared on her own either.

"Vert doors, nice touch," Leon commented with a smirk.

They all circled the car and examined it, seeing that the car wasn't black but a dark, deep blue; the lighter blue and purple pearls showing as the light hit it. Exploding fireworks were on the hood, fading down the sides of the car and on the back was the name "Firecracker" written so that it looked like a lighted fuse; the letters were painted a braided black gray mix that looked liked twine and then flame colors lined the edges, starting from a dark red to a light yellow. The side windows were tinted.

"I'll have to admit, I though it looked good before, but this is better," Mike said peering inside the car.

"So glad I have your approval," July said to Mike jokingly. After his talk with Letty, he had got better. He wasn't a hundred percent but he was better.

Jesse had opened the hood and most of them were gathered around it as Jesse pointed out what they'd done to the engine.

"Well, you have mine," Vince rumbled into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I do?" she asked flirtatiously as she tilted her head up and sideways to look at him. Vince murmured a yes to her before giving her a light kiss.

"Not bad. I still could beat your ass," Letty said with a smirk when July faced back towards them.

"We should test out the theory later. And as much as I'd like to, I can't take all the credit. I couldn't have done it without Jesse," she said giving Jesse a big smile that he reciprocated. "And yes Brian, before you ask, I did paint it all by hand," she added as she took in Brian's questioning glance from his spot examining the "Firecracker" name.

He gave her a sheepish smile before looking back at the car. July just shook her head at him and then turned to Dom; he was the only one that hadn't said anything yet. He stood with his arms crossed, scrutinizing the car.

"I think it's time for a test drive then," he finally said, looking up at July. She nodded her head at him and couldn't stop the butterflies that suddenly fluttered in her stomach. Vince's arms gave her a reassuring squeeze and gave her a kiss on her exposed collarbone.

"Good luck," he said before releasing her.

Dom got into the car and she followed him, looking back at everyone to see their encouraging faces before getting in the car and closing the door.

---------------------------

Dom directed her to an area that had no traffic. He had her stop at a light and began to talk.

"I use to drag race here in high school. The train track is exactly a quarter of a mile. Let's see how you do," he said before turning forward to look at the red light.

July tightened her grip on the shift knob and steering wheel. She revved the engine and watched the light. The seconds ticked by and she could feel the sweat begin to gather on her brow. The light changed and she let the clutch go. The car lurched forward and she began to shift with precision. As the car began to gain speed, she could feel her heart speed up with it and adrenaline coarse through her body. Her surroundings were a blur and while it felt like a long time to cross the tracks, it was really only a few seconds.

After crossing the track, she began to slow the car down and pulled over. Her breathing was coming fast and she could feel the euphoria settle around her. She turned towards Dom to see him focusing on her.

Dom was silent. He knew the exact feeling that was running through July and could feel it coming off her in waves. Her eyes were sparkling, chest heaving from her breathing, and he lost himself in her. Before he knew what he was doing, he grabbed her and began to kiss her.

July first reaction was to kiss back and she began to when Vince's face floated in her mind. She struggled to pull back and Dom let her go when he felt her push on him. July covered her mouth with her hand and stared at him in horror. It hit him then what he had done: he had kissed Vince's girl. Dom turned away in shame and they sat in an awkward silence.

"I'm sorry," Dom said looking at the dashboard.

July didn't say anything and just started up the car and began to drive back to the garage. She had to get away from him as soon as possible. She parked next to Vince's car and immediately went inside.

Dom sat in the car, cradling his head in his hands for a moment before exiting the car and going inside. The guys were standing around with puzzled looks on their faces and July and Letty were nowhere to be seen. Vince instantly came over to him and looked at him. Dom couldn't meet his gaze and stared down at the floor.

"What happened?" Vince ground out. All he knew was that July and Dom hadn't been gone more than 15 minutes before July came bursting threw the door, tears running down her face, grabbing Letty and disappearing into the back.

Dom searched his brain, trying to figure out what to say. He knew he would have to tell the truth and that made his stomach turn over at the thought of what Vince might say or do.

"I kissed her," Dom said quietly, so quiet that Vince didn't hear him.

"What?" Vince asked with a frown.

"I kissed her," Dom said looking up with apologetic eyes.

Once the words made themselves known in Vince's brain all he saw was red and he punched Dom with a mean right hook. Dom, who wasn't prepared for the hit, stumbled and caught himself on a car. His jaw throbbed and he slowly stood up right. Vince's face was a mask of fury and he could see Leon, Mike, and Jesse's disapproving looks behind him, all three ready to intervene if the fight continued on.

Vince really wanted to keep kitting Dom, and while he knew it would make him feel better for the moment, it wouldn't help later on. He shook his head at Dom before turning and leaving towards the back. Letty came out, caught Vince by the arm and whispered into his ear before letting him go.

Letty took one look at Dom and grabbed an icepack from the little fridge they had. Everyone else turned back to work as she handed him the icepack, which he pressed to his face.

"Thanks," he said wincing slightly at the pain in his jaw.

"At least you got what you deserved," Letty commented before turning away to help Mike on a car.

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Vince entered the back to see July's huddled form perched in a chair. She looked up at him and her face fell. Tears swam down her cheeks and she drew in a shaky breath before talking.

"I'm sorry, so sorry," she cried as her tears began to fall faster. Vince sat down next to her and watched as she struggled to make the words come out. "We were in the car…and I raced… and then I pulled over… and he just kissed me. I didn't try to kiss him," she explained as Vince ran his eyes over her face. July sat and waited for Vince to yell at her.

Vince knew she was telling the truth and picked up her fragile form and sat down with her in his lap. Anger at Dom filled his body but as he looked down at July, it washed away and was replaced with concern for her. It should have scared him how fast everything was happening. He'd never been the one to be like this, but looking down at July, as she cried because she was afraid he was going to dump her, he couldn't help but feel lucky to have found her.

"I know," Vince said as he wiped the tears from her face with his thumb.

"Vince, I'm sorry, so sorry," she repeated, echoing her words from earlier.

Rage filled him at the thought that July felt that it was her fault. "You don't have anything to be sorry for. It wasn't your fault," Vince replied at he smoothed back her hair and stared into her tear filled eyes.

She gave him a watery smile before throwing her arms around his neck and smothering her face into his chest. Her sobs started to fade and her breathing began to deepen. Vince knew she had fallen asleep and pressed a kissed to the top of her head. Standing up, careful not to wake her, he cradled her to his chest and began to walk out. Mike came over to him when he saw him carrying July.

"She okay?" he asked, worry evident on his face.

"Yeah, just tired herself out. I think it's been a wild week for her. I'm just going to take her up to the house and let her sleep," Vince answered looking down at July's sleeping form.

"All right, I'll bring her car in so you can take yours," Mike said and Vince gave him a nod before heading out the garage. With a gentleness that could have rivaled Mia's, he set her in the passenger seat of his car and got in himself.

He pulled up her house and cut the engine. After securing her in his arms, he headed up to her house and maneuvered her so that he could open the door. Kicking the door shut with his foot, he walked up to her bedroom, laying her down on her bed and taking her shoes. He smoothed back her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She began to stir as he started to leave.

"V?" Her voice was drowsy and quiet. "Don't leave me," she pleaded and Vince's heart tugged at the desperation he heard in her voice.

"I won't," Vince said as he pulled off his own shoes and lay down next to her. She immediately pressed up against him, intertwining their legs and throwing an arm around his torso.

"Don't ever leave me," she murmured sleepily.

"I won't," he promised as he held her closer and watched her face. Her eyes drifted shut and her breathing slowed again. He ran his hand through her hair for a bit and watched her sleep. He didn't know what he had done to deserve this girl but he was going to hold onto her as long as he could. He felt his eyes grow heavy and tried to keep them open to watch her longer but it wasn't long before he surrendered to sleep.

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It was an hour later when July woke up. The day's events replayed in her mind and she cringed. Vince must of felt her move because within a few seconds he yawned and opened his eyes.

"Hey," he said, his voice subdued. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. As long as I know you're not mad," July answered looking down.

"Hey," he started placing a finger under her chin and lifting her face to look at him. "I'm not mad at you. Dom, now he's a different story, but you, I'm not mad at," he said he brought her face up to kiss her.

July kissed him back as her hand began to trail up his chest and grabbed his head, anchoring him to her. Vince held her tight and then rolled over, pinning her beneath him; his weight was comforting against her.

When oxygen became an issue, he released her mouth and began to rain kisses across her jaw and down her neck, smirking as she arched her neck and a small moan escaped her lips. It was his turn to groan as she mimicked his actions, nibbling on his neck. She trailed a hand underneath his shirt and traced his muscles.

Vince grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her again. Her hands stilled as Vince's hand started to slid underneath her shirt and caress her stomach and new sparks began to ignite within her. She grabbed his hand when it began to play with the button of her jeans.

"Not yet Vince," she said breathless.

"All right," he said, his own voice was husky. He gave her one last searing kiss before rolling off her and laying on his side.

"Hey, that didn't mean we had to stop," she replied with an impish grin.

Vince let out a laugh before kissing her.

---------------------------

tbc…


	38. First Times

**Chapter 37: First Times**

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The next week went by quickly. July had been avoiding Dom like the plague even thought he tried several time to talk to her. Letty and Mike were getting closer and Amy had been over almost every night to hang with Jesse. The team had immediately taken to her. She was a lot like Jesse in that naïve, innocent way and they all thought they made a cute couple.

It was Friday afternoon when July found herself with Vince in her car. They were currently at the track practicing. Vince had taken her every afternoon to practice. He said she was getting pretty good and had some natural skill. He had to help her quiet a bit with the nitrous oxide since she had never used it but after the first couple days, she had mastered it and learned when it was safe time to use it. They had just finished the fifth run of the day and were idling at the start.

"Okay, this time you're using the nitrous," Vince said with a grin.

July's face matched his and then she opened the tanks and flipped the switches. Putting the car into first, she revved the engine and waited for the light. Time seemed to slow down, all she could hear was the engine, and all she saw was the light.

It switched and she let the clutch pop and then the car rushed forward. She shifted, paying special attention to all her gauges. When it was time, she pushed the red button on her steering wheel and both of them were pushed back into their seats. She crossed the finish line and then slowed the car down. She parked the car in the shade and shut the car off. The high from racing still strummed through their bodies and they mutually grabbed each other for a passionate kiss.

Managing to keep their lips together, July crawled over the gearbox and straddled Vince, her leather skirt riding high on her hips. July pressed up close to him as she could, her nerve endings sparking from the close proximity. He grabbed her hips as she ran her hands up his arms and then through his hair.

Their kisses were quick and heated. July's breathing and moans filled the car as Vince rubbed his hands down her body and kissed her neck. July's hand made their way underneath Vince's shirt and tugged it up. Vince released her long enough for her to pull his shirt off. July's hands sprawled out on his chest and traced every curve of his muscles; they flexed and relaxed under her exploration. Vince watched as she pulled off her shirt and her skin was revealed to him.

Without hesitation, he began to rain kisses down her chest. His hands caressed her back, starting to undo the clutch of her bra when he felt her hands fumbling at the buttons of his jeans, making him stop. Grabbing her hands in his, he kissed each one and held on to them, halting them from going any further.

"What?" July asked, her eyes huge and luminous in her flushed face, her voice only wavering slightly.

"We can't do this," he said struggling to say the words.

"Huh?" she asked in confusion before a moment of clarity settled over her and then hurt and anger covered her features. "Oh, I get it, now that you got a glimpse, I'm not good enough for you," she said, using anger to cover up her embarrassment.

"No, that's not it," Vince started as July bent her arms back to refasten her bra.

"Sure, it's all right, I can deal with this," she said defensively as she tried to push back her tears and hastily put on her shirt.

"Would you listen to me?" Vince said louder, grabbing her face and making her look at him. He could see the hurt behind her eyes and he mentally kicked himself for not wording it right. "Baby, I would love to do this. You can feel that and you know that. But when I first make love to the women that I love, it's not going to be in a car at the race tracks," he finished, searching her eyes. He saw his words sink in, the anger and hurt washing away from her face.

July had heard the wording he had used and the fact that he was refusing because of the situation, not because of her. She took these things to heart and couldn't help but fall that much more for Vince.

"You love me?" she asked quietly.

Vince swallowed the lump in his throat and told himself to be brave. He loved this girl and it was time to be honest with her about it.

"I love you," he said, his thumb stroking her cheekbone.

"I love you too," July said and they kissed. It was tentative and sweet, carrying the newfound declaration. When the kiss ended, July leaned her forehead against his and stared into his eyes. "So am I ready?" she asked.

"Ready for what?"

"To race," she answered, her lips brushing ever so lightly against his as she spoke.

"Yeah, you're good to go."

---------------------------

It was Saturday night and races were on. After July and Vince returned back to the house, Vince had quickly talked to Dom about July racing and Dom instantly agree, still feeling guilty. All four girls were currently in July's room. Mia and Amy had arrived only a few minutes ago, completely ready and now were helping July. July could swear they had been through her whole wardrobe and she still hadn't found anything to wear. Letty was starting to get impatient and finally stood up and left the room. The remaining girls gaped at the door until Letty return holding an outfit. July took one look at it and knew it was the one.

It was a low, spaghetti strap shirt made of a blue shimmery material. It stopped about an inch or two below her breast but had fringes that fell to her belly button. Letty tossed her a black skirt that had a diagonal cut starting from mid thigh and stopped just below her knee. July gave her a thanks before taking the outfit and running to the bathroom.

Once she had changed, she came back out and found Letty equally ready. She was dressed in a red leather skirt, a tight black tube top, and a sleeveless red mesh shirt to go over that had a jagged cut edge on the bottom. Only a few steps into the room, Mia attacked July and starting on her makeup.

"You know, I'm fully capable of doing this myself," July said as Mia began to put on a bluish-silver eyeliner that made her eyes look bluer.

"Oh hush, or I might poke your eye out with this," Mia ordered as she started on her other eye. Finished with the eyeliner, she added some black mascara and tinted her lips with a sparkly lipgloss. Amy brushed out her hair and left it down.

When Letty came out, they started on her. Letty resisted until Mia accidentally poked Letty in the eye with the eyeliner. After that, Letty sat still until Mia was done and gave her a death glare.

"That hurt," Letty said with mock anger.

"That's what you get for not holding still," Mia answered back smugly.

Letty just shook her head at her and then turned back to the mirror to put her hair up. July and Letty were just finishing putting on their boots when Vince yelled at them to come down or they were leaving without them. Mia and Amy both grabbed their purses while July and Letty grabbed their wallets and then they headed downstairs.

The guys were speechless as they descended down the stairs. Each guy grabbed their respective girl and complimented them. A horn honked outside and they all knew it was Dom. They all exited the house, July locking the door behind her. Mia rode with Brian, Mike with Letty, Amy with Jesse, and Vince and July rode together much to Dom's dismay, but he didn't put up much of a fight on the issue. They all loaded up into their cars and began to make their way to the warehouses.

They were late to arrive and were the last ones as usual, drawing all the attention. Inside the tinted windows, July could see all the questioning and wondering faces. When they had stopped, everyone's eyes were on the unfamiliar car that was rolling with the Torettos'. Vince smirked at her and gave her a kiss before they opened the doors.

A hush feel over everyone as they watched the vert doors open and July and Vince get out. July could hear the whispers starting up in the crowd and heard them double when Vince put his arm around her. He smiled at her and started to play with the fringes on her shirt; she knew they were driving him crazy. They formed a perfect curtain around her but every time she moved, the fringes swayed and exposed her smooth stomach to him.

Everyone had got out of their cars and July looked over at Mike; his eyes were large, trying to take everything in and he looked like a little boy in a toy store. Letty was standing next to him and behind her, Jesse and Amy were sitting on his hood talking, and for once Jesse was more interested in what Amy was talking about than the cars around him. They both nodded at Leon who was chatting up some girls on the side as they made there way over to where Dom was talking to Hector.

"Well chica, looks like you got a sweet ride," Hector said his eyes showing his double meaning.

"I do, don't I?" she said, pulling Vince closer to her and giving him a smile.

"So how are we doing this?" Hector asked, turning back to Dom.

"July's racing tonight. 2G buy in, winner takes all," he answered not once looking at July.

"This your first race sweet cheeks?" Hector asked as he collected the roll of money that Dom held out.

"Yup," July said trying to be confident.

"I know just who to grab." Hector said sharing a look with Dom. With a wink to July, he turned and began to weave through the crowd looking for three more racers.

"Thanks for fronting the money," July said tight-lipped.

"You're welcome," Dome replied, not looking straight at her but over her shoulder. Mike interrupted any further talking and Dom slipped away.

"So you really racing?" Mike asked, his eyes shiny with excitement.

"Yeah, isn't it awesome," July said the excitement in her voice matching his.

"I'm one jealous puppy," he commented with a pout.

"Well maybe with your money you can get a better car and we'll fix it up," July suggested.

"What money? Oh, that money," Mike trailed off, his excitement gone like a candle being blown out.

"Oh Mikey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," July said apologetically.

"It's okay," he answered with a sigh. "I need to do this. I need to be able to move on and talk about it," he continued, his voice gaining strength with every word.

"I know but I still didn't need to," she started again.

"It's okay, really. Someone's been helping me a lot and it's getting better," Mike said looking over at Letty.

July was bubbling on the inside with happiness that Letty and Mike were getting closer. They would be good together. They both knew the heartache of getting cheated on and would never do it to each other. Letty came walking over and they all talked until Hector showed a few minutes later.

"Okay girly, I got the other three, we're on," he said with a smirk before disappearing into the crowd again. The people close by began to circulate the word and everyone headed to their cars. It was time to race.

---------------------------

The cars were lined up and down the main drag for more than a quarter of a mile. July sat in her car at the starting line. Everyone had wished her good luck and reassured her that she would win but when it came down to it, it was just her: this would either make or break her. Vince gave her a good luck kiss before getting into Dom's car and heading down to the finish line. Vince hadn't forgiven Dom yet but they were on civil terms so far.

Turning on her stereo, she got the car ready for the race, opening the tanks and flipping the switches. She sat back in her seat and surveyed the competition. She was in Dom's usual spot on the outer right edge and looked over.

There was a maroon Altima next to her, then a white CRX, and then a light blue Lancer. The drivers were all male and all had different expressions on their faces. The guy in the Altima looked slightly bored about racing against her while the guy in the CRX looked slightly impressed that she was racing. The guy in the Lancer looked cocky and just gave her a smirk like he knew she was going to lose. His arrogant smile did it for her and she knew she was going to win; there was no doubt about it. She was going to take that stupid look off his face and show him that being a girl didn't make you bad.

Looking out the window, she saw Leon listening to the scanners a couple feet down. She saw him raise the two-way radio and speak into it; it was time. The butterflies in her tummy went into double time and continued to make their presence known as Hector raised his hands up. Pushing down on the clutch and shifting the car into first, she waited. Her grip was so hard that her hands started to ache. She relaxed her grip a bit and took a deep breath. She revved the car and her opponents mimicked the action.

Her car took off from the starting line with a roar as Hector dropped his hands. Not once did she look to the side or in her rearview mirror. She honed herself on listening to the engine and shifting at the right moment.

She momentarily looked down at her gauges and saw she was ready for a shot of nitrous. Taking a deep breath, she moved her thumb from the steering wheel and pressed down on the red button. The g-force pushed her back into the seat and her tires gave a small squeal as her car lunged forward. All the cars and people blurred into a blob of color as the car flew down the road.

She passed the finish line with a small cry of joy. She slowed down and then made a u-turn and drove back to the finish line. Vince was waiting for her at the side and she leaped into his arms as she got out.

"I did it," she cried above the cheering, her voice still breathless.

"Told ya you could do it," he replied with a smile.

"Oh shut up monkey boy and kiss me," she said and Vince gave her a grumble before happily capturing her lips.

They broke apart when they heard someone clearing their throat. July looked over to see Hector holding out her money. Vince lowered her down and July took the money from Hector.

"Thanks," she said with a big smile, the adrenaline still making her giddy.

Hector just smirked at her before turning around and starting to organize another race. Everyone surrounded her and congratulated her. Pulling a roll from her stack of money, she made her way over to Dom, who was standing on the sidelines.

"Here's your money," she said holding out the roll.

"You keep it," he ordered, looking down at it.

"I don't want your pity money," she snapped before taking a deep breath. "Look, I understand that you're sorry and I'm glad that you realize you made a mistake and I forgive you. It's Vince that you're going to have to make it up to. I owe you this money so please take it," July said holding it closer to him. With a dejected sigh, Dom took the money and gave her a meaningful look.

"You think he hates me?" he asked.

"He couldn't hate you. Just give him some time and don't be an ass," she said with a smirk. Dom shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. July turned around and started to walk back to her car when Dom grabbed her by the arm.

"I just wanted to say I was sorry," he said when she turned around. He let go of her arm and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I know and I forgive you," she replied with a tense smile. Being around Dom still unsettled her a bit. She then turned and headed back to Vince. He was taut and began to relax as she wrapped an arm around his waist.

"What was that all about?" he asked, his voice a dangerous growl.

"Just gave him his money and he told me sorry," she answered casually.

"Oh," he replied, trying to keep his cool. Suspicion didn't get him anywhere with July; he had learned that with the little scuffle over Mike and Max.

July looked at his face and how hard he was trying to hold back and laughed. "Don't worry, nothing happened. He just wanted to apologize," she said answering his held back question, the last of the tension sliding away.

"Come on, there's another race, let's move your car and watch. Then we'll party," he said with a sly smirk, tugging on her waist and moving towards her car.

---------------------------

July and Vince were one of the first ones back to the houses. Parking in her driveway, she and Vince made their way over to the fort, as Vince liked to call it. Music was playing and beers were already out. Vince grabbed one and offered one to July. She shook her head no and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

They made their way back to the living room and sat down on the couch, July sitting half way on Vince's lap. The people were pouring in and the music had become a couple decibels louder. They looked around to find everyone: Jesse was teaching Amy how to play some game on the PS2, Letty and Mike were dancing and seemed to be having lots of fun, Leon was sitting in a chair talking to a blonde chick and appeared to be doing it out of sheer boredom, and Dom was talking to a group of guys near the front door. Mia and Brian then came out of the kitchen, each with a drink and sat on the couch on the other side of the room.

After sitting on the couch for a bit, July and Vince got up and danced. Vince wasn't too bad but made an amusing sight. They danced a couple songs before July took pity on him and then sat back down. July curled up into his lap and Vince leaned in, whispering in her ear.

"Had enough of the party yet?"

"Yeah."

"Come on," he said, getting up and grabbing her hand.

They started to walk towards the door but instead of opening the door, Vince turned right and began to walk up the stairs. July didn't hesitate and followed after him. They walked down the dim hall and Vince opened the last door on the right. He held the door opened and allowed her to enter first before following her and locking the door behind him.

July's heart skipped a beat when she saw his room. Apart from it looking like any guys room, there were several candles placed around the room that were lit and gave the room a warm look. The scent of tiger lilies caught her attention and she saw a beautiful bouquet standing next to the bed on the nightstand.

"Vince…" she trailed off, turning back to him.

"July, I love you, but that doesn't mean we have to do this. I just wanted tonight to be special," he said stepping forward and staring her straight in the eye. The want and desire were palpable in the room.

"I know and I love you too and I want to do this," she replied, stepping closer and trailing a finger up his arm before wrapping her hand around his neck and tugging him down for a kiss.

Vince wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss, pulling her as close as possible. When they both pulled back to breathe, Vince tugged off his shirt and let it drop to the floor. Vince kissed her tenderly on the lips before bringing one hand up and lowering the strap on her left shoulder, kissing the shoulder and then repeating the same action on the other side. July let the shirt fall to the floor and stared up at Vince timidly. Vince saw her fear of rejection in her eyes and kissed her, trying to convey all his emotions for her. When he pulled back, her eyes were more confident.

Toeing off his shoes, he grabbed her and set her down on the bed. He unzipped her boots, pulling them off, and then skimmed his hands up her legs, resting them on her hips. July raised her feet, looped a toe into his belt loops, and tugged down. Vince chuckled at her before unbuttoning his pants and kicking them off, standing in only his boxers. Rising up her hips, Vince shimmied the skirt off her. They were still for a few moments, each one studying the other. July felt a heat rise within her under Vince's stare.

Discarding the rest of their clothes, they huddled underneath the blankets and embraced each other, soft curves pressing against muscular ones. They joined together, oblivious to the world around them; they were only focused on each other and that was all they could see. July let out a breath of completion before falling asleep on Vince's chest, secure in his arms.

---------------------------

tbc…


	39. Miscommunications

**Chapter 38: Miscommunications**

---------------------------

The warm surface beneath July's face shifted and brought her out her slumber. She stretched her body out before tucking herself deeper into the crevasse between Vince's arm and chest. One of her hands rested on his shoulder while one of his rested on her hip.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice gravelly from sleep.

"Morning," she said with a big smile on her face and pressed a kiss against his chest.

"How did you sleep?" he asked with a deep sigh.

"Good. What about you?" she asked raising her head to look at him. His eyes were still closed and a smile tugged at his lips.

"Me too," he said opening his eyes open a slit to look at her. Her face was glowing and her hair was wild but he still thought she looked beautiful.

"What are you thinking?" she asked propping her head on his chest.

"How beautiful you are," he answered as he trailed a thumb across her bottom lip.

"Really?" she asked playfully as she crawled closer to his face.

"Yeah," he mumbled against her lips.

Soon they were kissing and lost themselves in their passion.

"You want to know what sounds good right now?" July asked when she pulled back to breathe. Vince gave her a lustful look and she laughed at him. "That too but not what I was thinking off. A shower sounds better," she said with a mischievous smirk. Vince gave her a sly smile of his own before jumping out of bed and hauling her over his shoulder.

"All right, let's go," he said giving her a light smack on the butt.

"Vince! Stop!" she yelled.

"What?" he asked stopping in his tracks.

"A little case of nakedness here. There's no way I'm going out of this room with nothing on."

"Fine," he said setting her down. Vince grabbed one of his shirts and pulled it over her; it stopped around the middle of her thighs. "All better," he said before hefting her back onto his shoulder and heading towards the door.

"V!" July squealed.

"What now?" he asked stopping again.

"You're still naked. Not that I'm not enjoying the view but it's my view to enjoy and not everyone else's," she replied giving said view a squeeze.

Vince pulled her back down and pushed her into the door. His eyes were dark with desire.

"Is someone jealous of other people seeing me?" he asked in a teasing banter.

"Maybe," she said with a saucy smirk.

"You'll just have to cover me, make sure no one sees anything."

"I think I can do that," she answered before crushing her lips against his.

---------------------------

Much later, July and Vince made their way down stairs. July wore her skirt from last night and borrowed one of Vince's smaller shirts. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Everyone was in the living room and looked over at them with knowing looks on their face. July flushed and buried her head into Vince's chest. Vince laughed before saying bye to everyone and then they headed over to her house.

"You hungry? We could go and get something or I could make something," July asked as she opened her door and then entered. Vince's reply died on his lips as a very naked Mike entered their sight.

"Oh my god!" July yelped and covered her eyes. Vince started cracking up laughing and July thumped him on the chest. "I don't find this very funny."

"July! Vince! What are you guys doing here?" Mike asked as he covered himself up with his hands.

"I live here you nitwit!" July said at his general direction.

"I know that but I didn't figure you guys back for a while."

"Mike, can we do this later, like when you have clothes on?" July asked.

"Why, you've already seen everything," he commented carelessly.

Vince stopped laughing and snapped his eyes to July but she couldn't see him because she still had her eyes covered.

"Mike, please, just go upstairs and continue whatever it was you were doing, in your room," she said stressing the 'in your room' part.

"Okay, I'm going," he said and July could hear him go up the stairs.

"And don't parade around the house naked again!" she yelled up after him. She heard him laugh and mentally cursed at him. She waited a minute before taking her hands off her eyes and looking at Vince. He had that slightly pissed off look on his face.

"I thought you said there was nothing between you and Mike," Vince said strained.

"There is nothing between us. There use to be, as in past tense. Not anymore. I thought we already had this talk. I told you that I think of Mike as my brother," she said as anger began to grow in her.

"Yeah, a brother who you saw completely naked," Vince shot back at her.

"So that just gives you a right to be mad? Because Mike and I use to date? I thought you understood that I want to be with you and no one else. I don't use the word love lightly and I don't sleep with someone unless I love them. I thought that last night meant something but I guess it didn't if you still doubt my feelings for you," July said as the tears started to gather in her eyes.

"July that's not…" Vince started to say but never got to finish because July was racing up the stairs. He chased after her but her door slammed in his face and locked before he could open it.

"July, open the door," he said knocking on it.

"Go away!" she shouted.

"No, come on, you know that's not what I meant," he yelled back but it didn't matter because she had turned on music and it was too loud for her to hear him. He gave the door one last thump before leaning against it sliding to the floor.

"All right ass wipe, what did you do now?" Letty asked as she came out of Mike's room.

"Screwed up," Vince said with a sigh.

"Well, duh, that much is obvious, I meant what exactly did you do," Letty said crouching next to him.

"I said something when Mike said July had already seen all of him," Vince said as Mike came out, fully clothed this time, from his room.

"You said something, didn't you?" he asked.

Vince lunged up and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "You did it on purpose didn't you? You said it because you knew I would make a deal about it," Vince said with hostility, his other hand clenching into a fist.

"No I didn't. I didn't really think it would matter. I swear, I didn't say it to get you two in a fight or anything," Mike said calmly.

"Whatever," Vince growled before releasing Mike and shoving him away. He started to stop down the stairs.

"You go after him, I'll talk to July," Letty said giving him a quick kiss. Mike gave her a 'do I have to?' look and Letty crossed her arms, waiting for him to go.

"Fine, I'm going, but be prepared to call 911 when he beats me to a bloody pulp," Mike said before heading downstairs. She heard the front door close and then turned back to July's door, knocking on it.

"JJ! Open up, it's me," Letty yelled over the music. The music turned notably down and then July's muffled voice sounded.

"Letty? Are you by yourself?"

"Yes it's me, by myself, and I'm dressed," she said and heard a half chuckle.

The door unlocked with a click and it slowly creaked open. Letty pushed her way in and closed the door behind her. July's face was pale and tears were still streaming down her cheeks. Letty gave July a comforting hug before directing her towards the bed and sitting down. Letty patted July's back while she cried and waited until her sobs faded away.

"Feel better?" Letty asked.

"No," July said with a pout as she wiped her face.

"Let me explain something to you. Vince is insecure when it comes to girls. Yes, I know, it's a shock but believe me it true, even if he'll never admit it. See, Vince has liked Mia since high school. Did anything for her, all she had to do was ask and Vince would drop everything. Then Brian showed up and swept Mia off her feet and Vince was left alone. He figured he might have a chance when Brian ended up being a cop but was wrong when he showed back up asking for forgiveness. Now Vince can't really hate Brian since he saved his life and that ticks him off more than anything. So you got to understand that Vince has always been the one to stick it out and then be left in the cold. So he's a tad bit insecure when it comes to relationships," Letty said and saw July's eyes soften a bit.

"But that doesn't give him an excuse to start crap every time something happens or gets said," she said

"I didn't say it was. Just give him some slack," Letty finished with a sigh.

"He did seem sorry," July muttered and continued her inner battle on what to do about Vince.

"You know you're lucky that I like you enough to be doing this, because normally, I would have said 'not my problem' and walked away. Or get Mia to handle it."

"Or maybe you're scared I'll kick you out," July suggested, laughing as Letty's eyes got wide.

"I didn't think about that," Letty said. "But you wouldn't."

"You sure about that?" July asked with a smirk.

"You couldn't throw poor, innocent old me out into the streets could you?" Letty said, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Innocent? Yeah right," July shot back sarcastically.

"Am too," she argued back.

"Right, and the horns are just there to keep the halo straight?" July asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Damn right," Letty said laughing before turning serious again. "So you think you can give V a chance?"

"Yeah…"

---------------------------

"Yo, Vince! Wait up!" Mike yelled as he cut across the lawn.

"What do you want?" Vince asked in a low voice.

"Look, I really didn't mean for anything to happen. I know that July is happy with you and I would never do anything to ruin that. She's been through a lot and deserves to be happy," Mike said looking down at the ground.

"So you were just having a bit of fun this morning?"

"Yeah, I didn't mean anything by it. I mean, it's true," Mike saw the livid expression on Vince's face and quickly continued, "But I don't think of July like that anymore. Plus, I think I've found someone else," Mike said with what he hoped was a friendly smile.

"You mean Letty?" Vince asked.

"Yeah, she's something," Mike answered with a wistful look.

"So you don't want to get back with July?" Vince said, voicing the question that he had at the back of his mind.

"No, of course not. For one, she's with you and I don't take other guy's girls, and two, there's Letty, and three, I really don't see me and July ever being like that again, even if I wanted to. She's hooked on you pal," Mike explained with a serious expression. "So if you hurt her, I will hunt you down and make you pay."

"The same goes for Letty," Vince said with a threat of his own.

They nodded their understanding at each other before turning away from one another.

"If you want to keep her you have to completely trust her. July's won't be with someone who doesn't completely percent trust her, remember that," Mike said before turning and going back into the house.

Vince turned back to go inside but stopped. He didn't really want to go inside where everyone would ask what was wrong. He felt his keys in his pocket and pulled them out. A drive was what he needed right now.

---------------------------

When Vince got back to the house it was late in the afternoon, around two. His heart stopped as he saw the ambulance in July's driveway. He parked his car and rushed over just in time to see Letty being brought out on a stretcher.

"Le, don't let them take me! You know I hate hospitals!" Letty screamed as she latched onto Leon's arm. There was a deep gash on her forehead and blood was dripping down the side of her face.

"What the hell is going on?" Vince asked as he stood next to Mia.

"I don't know. All the sudden the ambulance pulled up to her house and we all came rushing over," she said as tears ran down her face and Brian held her.

"Let, what happened?" Vince asked as he walked beside the stretcher.

"They took them," she said worry in her eyes.

"Who did?" Vince asked as he was hit with a cold fist of fear in the gut.

"I don't know. I got hit and when I woke up July and Mike were gone. V, you have to find them," Letty pleaded. Vince just nodded his head and fell quiet.

"Do you have to take her?" Leon asked the paramedic.

"Yes, she might have a concussion. We want to take her for observation and stitch her up. Are you going to accompany her?" the medic asked.

"Yeah," Leon said nodding.

"What hospital?" Mia asked.

"We'll be taking her to Providence Memorial."

"We'll follow you in the car," Mia told Leon as he went into the ambulance. The doors closed and it took off just as an officer came over.

"I'm officer Ray Gilroy. If you could just answer a few questions, we would be grateful for the cooperation," the officer said to the group.

"We don't know anything. All we heard was the ambulance and came out to see what was going on," Dom said.

"I understand that there were two other individuals in the house, a July Jones and a Michael Bradley, is that correct?" he asked looking up from his notepad.

"Yeah, they live in the house."

"According to Ms. Gonzales, she said that she was clocked on the head and then when she woke the other two were gone. Did any of you see anything shady? A strange car or a unfamiliar person?" he asked in his monotone voice.

"No, we didn't see anything," Mia answered, everyone agreeing with her.

Officer Gilroy asked them some more questions and then took a description of July and Mike. "We'll put out an alert for them and try our best to find them. Please don't try to find them on your own as the kidnapper may be armed and dangerous. Thank you for your time," he said before turning and getting back into his car.

"We're going to head to the hospital and see how Letty is," Mia said to the group. "You going to be okay Vince?"

Vince looked up and Mia could see the tears in his eyes. "I have to get her back. I just got her, I can't lose her," he rambled.

"You'll find her Vince, I know you will," she replied, giving him a hug before Brian pulled her away and they got into his car and headed into the direction of the hospital.

Just as Brian's car disappeared from sigh, Amy's car pulled up and stopped in front of the house with a screech. She got out and they all knew something was wrong; she was crying.

"What's wrong?" Jesse asked as he came over to her and held her in his arms. She tried talking but her crying made it hard to understand. "Shh, calm down. You have to stop crying so you can tell us what's wrong," Jesse said as he smoothed back her hair.

Slowly she calmed down and took a couple deep breaths.

"I don't know what happened but something's wrong. I came home and Mom was crying, saying something about Dad having enough and going to finish what he started a long time ago. I tried to ask her what she was talking about but all I got out was something about Texas. And the only thing I can think of when she said Texas was July. So I came to talk her," Amy finished with a hiccup.

"Amy, he took her. Both her and Mike," Vince said as rage boiled beneath the surface.

Amy's face crumbled and she started crying again. "He couldn't have. He wouldn't do that," Amy cried, shaking her head.

"Look, we don't know for certain but it's our best bet and the only thing we have to go on. Do you know where he might have taken them?" Vince asked trying to keep calm.

"I don't know," Amy answered as she searched her brain. "Wait, I might. He owns a beach house on the outskirts of LA," Amy said as her eyes flickered around while she thought.

"Then we'll look there," Vince said turning towards the house just as Dom came out.

"Here," Dom said passing him a gun and gave Vince a meaningful look. Vince understood and took the gun from him. They both check their magazine clips before tucking them in the waistbands of their pants.

"Amy, do you know how to get there?" Vince asked as he turned around.

"Yeah," she answered in a shaky voice, Jesse still holding onto her.

"Look, I really need your help. I don't know why he wants July or what he's doing to her but I have to get her back and I need your help to do that. Are you with me?" he asked looking her in the eyes. Her brown eyes were filled with confusion and worry.

"Yeah," she said after taking a deep breath, slowly nodding her head.

"And you understand that if it is your dad, it's not going to matter."

Amy didn't trust her voice then and just nodded her head again. She gave Jesse a worried look and he squeezed her hand.

"All right. Jesse, you're driving. Amy you sit in the front and direct Jesse. Let's go," Dom said and they all got into Jesse's car.

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tbc…


	40. Learning the Truth

**Chapter 39: Learning the Truth**

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July woke up with a groan. Her head was pounding and tried to bring her hand up to rub it but found she couldn't. She tugged and realized that her hands were tied together. She opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar room. Confusion flooded her as she tried to figure out what was going on.

She remembered talking to Letty, eating with Mike and Letty in the kitchen and then it all went black. She looked around and figured it was a garage of some sort, the cement floor cool underneath her. At the next pillar down, Mike sat slumped forward with his hands tied behind his back.

She wiggled her fingers and realized she was in the same situation. She pulled at the ropes around her wrists but only managed to burn herself with them. She winced in pain and sat back. Boy, was she screwed. What the hell was going on? She looked down and saw that her ankles were tied together too and she let out a string of curses.

"Now, is that any language for a young lady to use?" asked a voice from the darkness. Slowly a figure approached and stepped into the small amount of light.

It was Arnold.

July felt a gasp escape her lips. He looked half crazed; his clothes were rumpled and it looked like he hadn't sleep in a couple days. He had a malicious expression on his face and he smelled faintly like alcohol. Mike was starting to stir and July looked over to see him shake his head.

"Oh my god, I feel like a brick hit my head," he moaned in pain.

"That's actually a very good analogy Mr. Bradley, it was a brick," Arnold said in a cheerful voice.

Mike's head snapped up and then he winced as the movement hurt his head. He took in his surroundings and their current situation. He didn't recognize the man in front of them but his voice sounded familiar.

"What the hell is going on?" July snarled and Arnold clocked her in the face.

"Shut up scum," he yelled.

July spit out the mouth full of blood and it landed on his pants. He kicked her in the stomach and let out an evil crackle as she cried out in pain. July was now awkwardly towards the side.

"Leave her alone you asshole!" Mike yelled and Arnold turned towards him.

"Ah yes, Mr. Bradley. Tell me, did your mother have a fun ride? I hope she enjoyed it."

Mike's eyes widen and July could see the anger flare in them.

"You don't know crap about my mom," Mike growled.

"See boy, that's were you're wrong. I know more about your mother than you think I do. Your mother use to work for me until her, uh, how should I say it? Untimely demise, or maybe that should be timely," Arnold said with an amused smile.

"You…" Mike started as a piece of the puzzle fell into place.

"Yes, I hired someone to hit your mother's car and leave her for dead. I hoped she would have died upon impact but sadly she didn't. What a shame," he commented.

"You asshole!" Mike shouted, struggling against his ties.

Arnold gave him a kick to the stomach, silencing him for the moment.

"Now none of that Mr. Bradley, but you may be wondering why. See, your mother was hired by me to be a spy on our dear July here. But once July found out the truth and left Texas, I had no need for your mother, so I disposed of her," Arnold explained with a flick of his hand. "Couldn't have her twittering about and saying something when I told her that her job was done."

Mike's eyes widen in realization as his mother's last words echoed in his mind: my job is done.

"You are a crazy psycho who need to be locked away," July yelled, her voice full of disgust.

"Oh such harsh words from such a pathetic girl. Don't you realize it's your fault that Mike's mother is dead?" he said playing devil's advocate.

July felt her heart jump in her throat, finding it suddenly hard to breathe. She looked over at Mike and gave him an anguished look.

"July don't, it's not your fault," Mike said before Arnold kicked him again.

"Oh deary, it is all your fault. If you wouldn't have left, Mike's mother would still be alive. There was no way she continue spying on you without looking suspicious. So I was done with her, all because you left." Arnold let silence fill the room for a moment, watching with satisfaction as a tear slid down July's face. "Now, down to business, how should I kill you?" Arnold pondered as he pulled a shallow pan into the light. July could see several knives and a gun. Fear coiled within her and she began to sweat.

"Let Mike go," she said as Arnold mused over the knives.

"Excuse me?" he asked as he looked up.

"Let Mike go, he has nothing to do with this. You said this was all about me," July reminded him as she licked her dry lips and tried to think of a way to get out of here. God, she hoped that Vince would figure something out and find her. She would hate for the last thing he remembered of her was their fight.

"You see, I wish I could let Mike go but he already knows too much. Now I'll have to kill him first while you watch and then I'll kill you," Arnold said with a glee.

July felt her heart beat double and her breathing become shallow. Before she could blink, Arnold picked up a knife and stabbed Mike in the gut with it. He let out a howl of pain and then went limp. July could feel the tears running down her face and started to cry.

"Why? Just tell me why," she asked as her tears fell.

"You stupid girl, you haven't figured it out yet? See, I was in love with your mother. I would have given anything for her and then I made the mistake of introducing her to your father," he continued with a sneer. "They fell in love and things were fine for a while. I tried to convince myself that I was happy because she was happy but then they started to fall apart. I hoped it was my chance to finally get her but then she ended up pregnant with you and decided to stay with your father for you. You ruined any chance I had at being with Robin! I hated you from that moment and I knew that one day you would pay.

"It was after your eighth birthday when I decided I had had enough. I hired someone to kill you when you went on vacation. I unfortunately hired an incompetent fool who failed to kill you and only killed your father and mother. I could have lived if it had just been your father but he killed Robin, completely destroying any chance I would have had with your mother. I made him pay dearly for his mistake and then I sat and waited; I waited until the time was right. I knew that when you found out about your parents you would come crawling back and I was right.

"You showed up lost and alone and I played the helping lawyer and did my duty. I was going to try to tamper your car and make you crash but I didn't think you deserved a fast death. You deserve a slow, drawn out death by my hands. And now that is exactly what is going to happen. So say your prayer and make a wish because it will be your last," he finished with a wicked laugh.

Arnold picked up a knife and moved towards her. July tried to scoot away but it was impossible. He ripped open her shirt and began to make cuts that were deep enough to bleed profusely and hurt like hell, but not kill her for a while. He hummed under his breath as he continued until he was satisfied. She began to feel dizzy from the blood loss and fought to stay conscious.

"You are a sick, dirty bastard. My mother would have never been with you," July spitted out.

Arnold let out a cry of rage before picking up a long, curved knife. "She was MINE! Do you hear me? MINE! And you took her away from me!" He screamed in her face.

"Right, I took her away from you. Maybe she didn't want to be with a psycho stalker who takes revenge on little children!" July said as black dots began to cloud her vision.

"That's it! I've had it with you. Forget the slow thing. I'm going to cut your heart out and leave you to die," he said as he pulled back the knife. He began to lunge forward when a shot rang out. The last thing July saw was Arnold's body hit the floor before the darkness overtook her.

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A beeping noise filled July's ears as her eyes slowly fluttered open. She instantly closed them against the brightness and opened them further as they began to adjust to the light. The first thing she saw was the colorful bouquets of flowers around the room and the balloons. Then she felt the warmth in her hand and looked down.

Vince was asleep, his head resting on her bed as he held her hand. She smiled at him and felt her heart ache at the fact that she could have lost him. He took a deep breath, signaling his awakening and glanced up. His eyes got wide when he saw she was awake and tears began to form in them.

"July?" he asked, his voice in disbelief.

"Vince," she said as a cry chocked in her throat.

They embraced each other, Vince careful of July's injuries.

"I almost lost you," he murmured against her hair and closed his eyes as a tear leaked out.

"I almost lost you. That fight was completely stupid. I'm sorry," she said rubbing her cheek against his.

"Me too," he said running a hand through her hair. They held each other for a bit, reassuring each other of their feelings, and just relished being held by the other.

"I was so scared," July began in a small voice, pulling back to look at him. "But you found me Vince, you found me," she cried and gave him a kiss. It was bittersweet and their tears mingled in it.

"I love you," Vince whispered against her lips.

"I love you too," she replied. They stared at each other for a moment before the door opened and a doctor came in.

"Well, hello Ms. Jones, so nice to see you awake. I'm Dr. Lee," the doctor said coming over to her and giving her hand a friendly shake. "I'm just going to recheck your vitals," he said and did so.

"How long do I have to stay here?" July asked as he finished taking her blood pressure.

"You can be released this afternoon if you like. The cuts are bandaged up and should be fine. You were very lucky; you have no concussion, or broken ribs. You do have a few bruises and we'll give you some medicine for the pain but you're fine to go home," he finished with a smile.

"Thank you," July said as the doctor left the room. "What about Mike?" she asked Vince in alarm. The last thing she remembered was him being stabbed in the stomach and then going limp.

"He's fine," Vince said grabbing her hand. "He just had a stab wound. It didn't hit any organs and he was actually pretending to be out. He figured that if he played dead Arnold would stop. Smart guy."

July breathed a sigh of relief and then fear crawled in her gut again. "And Arnold?" she asked in a small voice.

"I shot him in the chest but he'll live and he's locked up right now. The police are going to talk to you later and ask you to testify," he said.

"I will. That bastard is going to go where he belongs," July replied and closed her eyes as she became tired.

"Take a nap. I'll go check you out and get your medication," he ordered as he smoothed the hair back from her forehead and gave her a kiss.

"Wait, what about Letty?" July murmured even as her eyes drifted closed.

"She's fine too. Now sleep. When you wake up we can get out of here," he said caressing her cheek.

"Sounds good," she said before succumbing to sleep.

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When she woke later, Vince was true to his word and had everything ready for her to leave. He brought her some clothes and helped her changed, cringing as he saw her black and blue body and swore to himself that he wouldn't ever let her get hurt again.

Letty was also released but stayed at the hospital to be with Mike, who wasn't getting released until the next day. Vince took July to visit Mike before they headed home.

She tapped on his door and it swung slightly open. Letty was sitting next to him talking and they quieted as she entered the room.

"Hey Let, how you feeling?" July asked.

"Hanging in there. And you?"

"I'm all right."

"I'll let you two talk while Vince and I go grab something to drink," she said giving Mike a peck on the cheek before leaving the room.

July sat down in the chair that Letty had been in and turned towards Mike.

"Before you start, I don't want to hear any apologize for what happened about how it's all your fault because it wasn't. So I don't want to hear it," Mike said in a firm manner.

"But Mike-," July stared.

"No buts July. There was nothing you could have done. So I want you to save the apologizes for a time when you should apologize but are too stubborn to," Mike replied with a smirk.

"Thanks Mike," July said with tears in her eyes and she gave him a hug.

"Plus, now I have this cool scar and I can score babes with it," Mike commented, lifting up the side of his hospital gown and showing her his stitches.

"I heard that!" Letty yelled from outside the door.

July and Mike laughed and a moment later Letty and Vince both came back in.

"So what's this about scoring babes with your scar?" Letty asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Nothing," Mike answered with the most innocent look he could muster.

"Uh huh, and I'm suppose to believe that because?"

"Because you can't resist the hotness that is me," Mike said with a cheesy grin. Letty let out a laugh and gave him a kiss.

"Oh Letty, I feel sorry for you," July said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because you're stuck with that," July said pointing at Mike and trying not to laugh at the indignant look that Mike had.

"Hey!" Mike exclaimed and the girls laughed. "A little sympathy for the stab victim here," he grumbled and Vince gave him a sympathetic look.

"We're going to get going. We'll be back tomorrow with some clothes for you guys and help you get out of here," July said standing up.

"All right, we'll see you tomorrow," Mike said.

Everyone said their goodbye and July and Vince left the room towards the main entrance The two had just stepped inside the waiting center when Mia attacked July, hugging her.

"Oh thank god you're okay," Mia cried as tears came to her eyes.

"Mia, bruises and need to breathe," July mumbled and Mia let go.

"Sorry, sorry," Mia said with an apologetic look.

"It's okay. Brian," July said as he gave her a small hug.

"They letting you leave?" he asked.

"Yup. Vince here already checked me out," July said taking hold of Vince's hand. She let it go as Leon came forward and gave him a hug. "Le."

"JJ," he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head and then let her go.

Jesse gave her a hug next and then Dom came forward. July hesitated for a moment but held out her arms and he gave her a weak hug.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said as he let her go.

July gave him a smile and then stepped back. He stepped aside to show a cowering Amy and July's breath caught for a moment. She didn't know exactly what to say or do, but she realized that Amy had nothing to do with it and it was unfair to punish Amy for something her father had done.

"Amy, come here," July ordered, holding out her arms.

Amy slowly came over to her and tentatively gave her a hug and started to cry. "I'm sorry JJ, I didn't know he was going to do that. You must hate me now," she mumbled.

"Hey, I don't hate you, you had nothing to do with what your dad did. Okay?" July said pulling her back enough to look her in the face.

"Okay," Amy agreed, nodding and gave her a weak smile before wiping her eyes. As July let her go, she clung to Jesse, who gave her a quick kiss.

"Man, what a day," July mumbled as she leaned back against Vince, everyone else starting to head towards the exit.

"Tell me about it," Vince said.

"Let's go home," she said looking up at Vince and giving him a kiss, knowing she had found the one thing that completed her and she wasn't going to let it go.

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The End

**A/N:**Now, please don't cry and pout, the story had to end sometime. But, July's story does continue in 'Standing on the Top of a Hill', Erin is coming to LA and brings news that shocks July and changes things. So go read that if you want to, you can find it under my profile.

I want to thank Scorching (Megan) for helping me and encouraging coughthreateningcough me to keep writing (You're the best!). I also want to thank Tempest for helping me out with some of the car details.

Finally, I just want to give a big thanks to everyone who reviewed, without them I would have never finished writing this story, so thanks.


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